The Life Of Lilith Fallon
by Katsa101
Summary: Lillith Fallon is Spencer Reid's best friend and when the BAU team needs a new member, she is offered the job. Will her relationship with Reid be affected by this and will she be able to overcome her past to work effectively within the BAU? This will follow Season 2 but instead of Emily Prentiss joining my OC will be.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Spencer Reid tapped his foot nervously as he sat in his boss's office. He had no idea why he was called into work early and the fact that none of the other people in the team were called in didn't help his anxiety.

'Hey Reid, thanks for coming in so early' Agent Aaron Hotchner said walking into his office and closing the door.

'No problem' Reid said as normally as possible as Hotch walked over and sat down behind his desk with a file in his hand.

'Sir, have I done something wrong?' Reid asked nervously and this caused Hotch to look at him in surprise.

'No, Reid. I need your opinion on something' Hotch explained and Reid noticeably relaxed.

'As you know, Gideon and I have been holding interviews this past week for Elle's replacement, but honestly we haven't found anyone we think would be a good asset to the team' Hotch explained as Reid listened

'I'm not sure how I can help?' Reid asked confused

'There is one person I want to talk to Gideon about, but… I would like your opinion on her first' Hotch explained and passed Reid a file.

Reid opened it and read it.

 _Name: Lilith Fallon_

 _Age: 26_

 _Gender: Female_

 _Eye Colour: Grey_

 _Hair Colour: Dark Red_

 _Speciality: Sexual Offense Crimes_

 _Speciality:_ _Linguistics_

'You want to hire Lilith?' Reid asked shocked

'I think she would be a valuable asset to the team, but I'm worried about if she can mentally handle what we do because of her childhood. You know her the best, do you think she is ready?' Hotch asked curiously and Reid stared at the file they had of his best friend.

'Sir, she has been training for this since I first met her in the academy. She has gone through the required therapy and passed them all. She can do it' Reid said firmly and Hotch stared at him for a moment before nodding.

'Okay, I'll run it by Gideon… don't mention this to anyone until I talk to Gideon about it, understood?' Hotch ordered and Reid nodded, standing up.

'Yes, sir' Reid said, turning and leaving the office. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of his best friend joining the BAU Team.

…..

Lilith danced around her house wearing boyleg undies and white t-shirt. She faintly heard the buzzing of her phone on the kitchen table. She muted her C.D Player and picked it.

'Hello Lilith Fallon speaking' Lilith said professionally

'Hello Lilith, this is Special Agent Aaron Hotchner from the Behavioural Analysis Unit at the FBI' Hotch introduced

'Yeah, I think I met you once at the pub when I had to pick up Reid' Lilith remembered as she tapped the table.

'Yes, I remember. I am calling to formally invite you to join our team' Hotch stated and Lilith froze.

'You mean… join the BAU?' Lilith asked shocked

'Yes' Hotch said simply

'Don't I need to have an interview or something?' Lilith asked confused

'Agent Gideon and myself have gone over your qualifications and we think you would be a great asset to our team' Hotch explained and Lilith beamed.

'Wow, Ok, um… sure! I would love to join the team' Lilith said happily

'Great, can you come in tomorrow to start the paperwork?' Hotch asked and Lilith nodded

'Sure thing, I'll see you there' Lilith said before hanging up.

Lilith put down her mobile and squealed excitedly. She picked up her phone and called her best friend.

'Lilith?' Reid asked confused that she was calling him so early in the day.

'GUESS WHAT JUST HAPPENED!' Lilith screamed into the phone.

….


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1 – Lessons Learned**

Lilith walked into the bull pen wearing black jeans and a white button up shirt. Her dark red, shoulder length hair was slightly wavy and her grey eyes looked around at the faces until she found the person she was searching for.

"Reid!" Lilith called out and Reid turned away from a conversation with an Agent Derek Morgan.

"Lilith!" Reid said happily and walked over to her and hugged her tightly.

"Lilith, you remember Derek Morgan" Reid introduced as Morgan walked over to them.

"Yeah, Hey Morgan" Lilith said shaking his hand.

"We've met before?" Morgan asked confused and Lilith laughed.

"I'm not surprised you don't remember me; you were very drunk when I went to pick up Reid" Lilith explained laughing.

"JJ" Reid called out as a blonde woman walked past.

"Hey Reid, who's this?" JJ asked looking at Lilith

"JJ, this is my best friend, and newest member of our team, Lilith Fallon" Reid introduced and Lilith shook her hand.

"Oh yeah, Hotch mentioned that you would be starting this week. Your speciality is Sexual Offense Crimes and Linguistics, and you are fluent in English, Russian and Spanish" JJ explained and Lilith nodded.

"Not bad" Lilith said impressed

"Hotch wants us meeting in the Conference Room" JJ explained

"This way" Reid said to Lilith as she put her bag on his desk until she got her own.

"Has everybody met Agent Fallon?" Hotch asked walking into the conference room.

"Yeah" JJ said as Lilith nodded to Hotch and Gideon. She met both of them officially last week when she came in to sign the transfer paperwork.

"What do we know?" Hotch said sitting down at the table.

"The DEA raided what they thought was a hardened meth lab right here in Northern Virginia, but they found this instead" JJ explained as she got up a photo of a massive bomb.

"That could be a dispersal device for a chemical weapon. Sophisticated" Morgan explained

"Homeland security's thinking Al Qaeda" JJ stated

"They've developed devices that span the spectrum of sophistication, some as simple as soda bottles and paint cans" Reid explained

"They're called al Ikhteraa. Literally "the invention."" Lilith added and everyone looked at her and then Reid for confirmation.

"They are" Reid said nodding

"Do we know what the biological or chemical agent is yet?" Hotch asked

"No, not yet" Morgan replied

"The cell members bailed out through a tunnel. The DEA recovered a Nextel 2-way and managed to intercept a message" JJ explained and put a copy on the table. Lilith picked it up.

"That's not the transcript" JJ explained

"No, it's in Arabic. Uh… our friends surprised us and eloped. We can no longer wait for the wedding as planned. We can deliver our gift at the next crescent" Lilith translated before looking up to find the team staring at her in shock, besides Reid, who was grinning.

"I…uh… I have been teaching myself Arabic in my spare time" Lilith muttered embarrassed

"Because that's normal" Morgan joked as Lilith blushed slightly.

"Next crescent?" Gideon asked

"Muslims sometimes use a lunar calendar. I'd have to look it up..." Lilith explained

"Next crescent moon is in 2 days" Garcia explained

"So whatever they're attacking, it's happening in less than 48 hours" Gideon concluded

"It sounds like it, sir" Lilith replied

"Payment for the Nextel is linked to this man. Jind Allah" JJ said bring up a photo.

"Literally Soldier of God" Lilith translated

"That's pretty poor operational security for a sophisticated plot" Morgan stated

"2 months ago, Jind Allah was captured leaving the U.S. Using a forged Pakistani passport via Richmond international airport. He's been held as a ghost detainee in Guantanamo bay ever since" JJ explained

"So technically, he doesn't exist" Garcia added

"Soldier of god isn't a name" Gideon said to Lilith.

"No, it's most likely a name taken on for the Jihad, meaning struggle. Extremists claim it's a holy war" Lilith explained

"Yet the words "holy" and "war" never appear together in the Qur'an" Reid stated

"Do we know his real name?" Gideon asked

"CIA interrogators have gotten nothing out of the guy" JJ explained

"They need us to break him" Gideon stated

"We do know from past intercepts that he's a recruiter. He came into this country to assemble the omega cell, a sleeper cell with an unknown mission" JJ explained

"We have 48 hours to do what the CIA hasn't been able to manage in 2 months" Morgan said

"Or we could be looking at the first attack on our soil since 9/11" Gideon added.

"Reid and Gideon will be going to Guantanamo, the rest of us will be going to the crime scene" Hotch said

"Sir…" Lilith said carefully

"I believe I would be more help with Gideon. I'm the only one who can speak Arabic" Lilith said nervously. Hotch looked at Gideon and Gideon nodded, agreeing. Lilith let out a sigh of relief as Reid smiled and the team dispersed.

…

"Do you think the interrogation of Jind Allah will work in time?" Reid asked Gideon as they sat on the plane and played chess. Lilith sat next to Reid.

"Interrogation's the most dynamic form of profiling" Gideon stated

"That's not an answer" Lilith muttered before Gideon glared at her.

"Sir" Lilith added as Reid watched on nervously.

"He's been locked away in Gitmo. He doesn't know we raided the cell's safe house. That's an advantage for us. The main thing is to get him talking about anything. Then his language and body movements will betray him. It's like this- you just focus on the way your opponent holds his piece. How quickly and firmly he places it. Then you watch his face and body. It'll telegraph a player's strategy, his training, maybe his motivations" Gideon explained as Reid moved a pawn on the chess board.

"Is that what you need us to do?" Lilith asked

"No. I need you to listen. You're studying the Arabic language. I won't know the nuances like you. Every word, every phrase. Be on the lookout for subtext, ulterior meanings" Gideon explain and Lilith nodded.

"What do you want me to do?" Reid asked

"I want you to watch for tells. Non-verbal's, micro-expressions. Watch him when he's comfortable and relaxed, then note the behavioural changes when he's under stress. If we can establish a baseline, we'll be able to read him once I challenge his belief systems. Before I can get him to give up where or how they'll attack, I'll first have to cause him to reveal something of himself" Gideon explained before looking out the window.

"Game over" Gideon said

"What are you talking about?" Reid asked confused before the plane turned drastically and the chessboard slide of the table and onto the floor.

"Gitmo's runway is perpendicular to Cuban airspace; so approaching aircraft have to negotiate a last minute 90 degree right turn in order to land. They call it the Gitmo twist" Gideon explained as the plane flattened out and the three team members sat up straight.

"I was winning" Reid muttered annoyed

"Actually, he would have had you in 3" Lilith said and Reid looked at Lilith and then Gideon before shrugging.

…..


	3. Chapter 3

"You must be the BAU boys" A man said before looking at Lilith.

"And gal. Pardon me" He added as Lilith smirked.

"I'm Jason Gideon" Gideon introduced

"Andy Bingaman, FBI" Andy introduced

"Agent Fallon, Dr. Reid" Gideon introduced as Lilith shook his hand and Reid waved awkwardly.

"I'm the intelligence Supervisor here at Gitmo" Andy explained

"You guys having a hard time getting Jind Allah to talk?" Gideon asked

"Not only can't they get him to budge, but 2 weeks ago, word got out that one of the other detainees was spilling secrets. Jind Allah managed to have a 3-minute conversation with him in the shower line. That night, the other detainee committed suicide" Andy explained as they walked into another room and saw Jind Allah on the camera.

"He's reciting the Qur'an from memory. He's most likely a Hafez" Lilith explained as she saw him muttered something to himself.

"He must have done it a dozen times since he's come to this facility" Andy explained

"Some Muslim children are able to do it since age 12" Reid commented

"2 months of interrogation, that's all the CIA's been able to get out of him" Andy explained

"There are cuts and bruises under his right eye socket" Reid explained

"What kind of tactics are they using?" Gideon asked

"I control the actions to the detainees, but I can assure you, my protest about their methods has been ignored" Andy explained

"Let the interrogation proceed normally. I'm gonna interrupt and demand they stop harassing" Gideon explained

"Maybe I should tell them in advance" Andy said

"No, it's better if they don't expect it" Gideon stated

"The reaction will be more visceral, more believable" Reid explained

"Go ahead with phase 2 as planned" Andy said into the comms unit.

"Copy that" The man replied and they walked into the room were Jind Allah was chained to a chair.

"You really gonna put a show on for these guys?" Andy asked

"No, no for them. For Jind Allah. He's needs to see me as a complete contrast to what he's come to expect from his captors" Gideon explained

"It's the best way to jump start him into talking. We have less than 36 hours" Lilith added

"Have at it" Andy said

"You 2 ready?" Gideon asked and Reid and Lilith both nodded.

"This way" Andy said

"Thank you" Gideon said as they left the room.

"Why do I get the feeling Gideon doesn't like me?" Lilith asked Reid as they watched as Gideon walked into the room.

"Just give him time to warm up to your personality, Lilith" Reid said kindly and placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"I'm glad you're on the team" Reid said sincerely and Lilith smiled at him.

"Who the hell are you?" An interrogator asked Gideon

"Supervisory Special Agent Jason Gideon. I'm an FBI Behavioural Analyst. It's time to show this man some respect" Gideon said firmly

"You gotta be kidding me" One of the men snapped

"You have orders from Agent Bingaman to leave so I can speak with this detainee alone" Gideon told them and they walked out of the room angrily. Gideon placed a uniform on his lap gently.

"I'm sorry for the treatment you've suffered. If you don't mind, I'd like to spend some time with you" Gideon said to Jind Allah.

"He stopped his recitation" Lilith said as he stopped mouthing words.

"He's sizing Gideon up" Lilith added as Reid started to write.

"If I don't mind?" Jind asked

"Like to get to know you as a person. Your faith, your ideology" Gideon explained

"To what end?" Jind asked

"Studying human behaviour is what I do" Gideon said simply

"I'd like to believe, with greater understanding one day, we can come to a peaceful resolution of our differences" Gideon added

"Is that so?' Jind asked amused

'Look, I don't know what you've done or what you may have planned to do. But unlike the other detainees here, you have the education, intelligence to convey the nuances of your culture. That's what interests me" Gideon explained after taking a seat next to him.

"Until I don't give you what you want. Then you will resort to other tactics" Jind said simply

"I swore an oath to uphold the United States constitution, no matter where I am, no matter who I deal with" Gideon said firmly

….

"Could they get enough anthrax?" Lilith asked Reid after Morgan called them.

"The letter sent to senator Tom Daschle's office in 2002 only contained 2 grams of purified spores, enough to kill 25 million people if effectively distributed" Reid explained worried before they turned back to the TV to watch Gideon and Jind.

"Are you willing to have a chat with me?" Gideon asked

"Go ahead" Jind Allah said

"Good. Let's chat" Gideon said as Lilith lent forward.

"He's from Egypt. Cairo" Lilith said suddenly

"You sure?" Reid asked

"Not really, he could be Yemeni, but odds are he's Egyptian" Lilith explained

"What type of name is Gideon?" Jind Allah asked

"American" Gideon replied

"I often forget that in your country you put your country first and your god last" Jind Allah said as Lilith grabbed the comms unit.

"Sir, he was born and raised in Egypt. They pronounce "J" sounds as a "G."" Lilith explained

"You don't consider yourself Egyptian as well as Muslim?" Gideon asked

"Egyptian. In 2 minutes, you know more about me than those thugs found out in 2 months" Jind Allah said and Lilith sighed in relief that she was right. Reid placed a hand on her arm and smiled.

"They and I have very, very different motives and methodologies" Gideon explained

"And yet your country relies on them to protect you from us" Jind Allah said

"Sometimes they're their own worst enemy" Gideon explained

"Yeah. Who is your worst enemy, Agent Gideon?" Jind Allah asked

"It's not a who. It's a what. Ignorance" Gideon explained

"You're a very honest man" Jind Allah said

"And you? Must have become a Hafez by what, age 10?" Gideon asked

"9" Jind Allah corrected

"Any person with the discipline and dedication to memorize the entire Qur'an by age 9 must have a very serious reason to choose a life of violence" Gideon explained

"Perhaps" Jind Allah said simply and Gideon got up to leave.

"We are through already?" Jind Allah asked

"No, not at all. The sun is about to set. Mecca's in that direction. I'll have a prayer rug and water bowl sent in" Gideon explained before leaving the room.

….


	4. Chapter 4

"Can I offer you some water?" Gideon asked walking back into the room.

"I offer you some first" Jind Allah said, ensuring it wasn't poisoned. Gideon opened a bottle and took a sip before giving the bottle to Jind Allah and sat down opposite him.

"They only kept it there to show me what I could not have" Jind Allah said

"I'd like you to explain something to me. How can you ignore the fact that Muhammad preached passivity while he was in mecca? Do no violence" Gideon asked

"His later message from medina was perfectly clear. When violence come upon you, you must fight back with violence" Jind Allah replied

"He's quoting from the Hadith, not from the Qur'an. It's called the verse of the sword. They argue that it cancels out earlier teachings" Reid explained through the comms unit.

"Verse of the sword. Just someone's spin on the words of the prophet. It's not even part of the Qur'an" Gideon stated

"But it does say in the Qur'an fight and slay the infidels wherever you find them and seize them in every stratagem of war" Jind Allah explained

"Unless they repent. Establish regular prayers and practice regular charity" Gideon replied

"Is it your intention, Mr. Gideon, to become a man of faith and revert to Islam?" Jind Allah asked

"I am a man of faith. I have repented, I pray regularly, and I practice charity. I have never committed violence against you, so how is it that my faith would allow you to live and worship as you please, and yours would take my life and snuff it out?" Gideon asked calmly

"You are simply misguided people of the book. But if you revert to Islam... "Jind Allah started to say

"A billion Muslims... one billion Muslims manage to practice their faith in peace... for Allah is surely merciful" Gideon interrupted

"You... inquired about my childhood earlier. I will tell you... that it was a happy one until one day a bomb fell out of the sky and levelled the bazaar that I was in with my family. I was only 8" Jind Allah explained

"Must have been horrifying for such a young boy" Gideon commented

"He's opening up about himself" Lilith said

"Maybe. We need to verify what he's saying, though" Reid said before calling Garcia and putting her on loud speaker.

"Speak" She said in a sing-song voice.

"Garcia, I need you to check something for me. I'm looking for a stray bombing in a bazaar somewhere in Egypt approximately 30 years ago" Reid explained

"Ok, Reid. That's not too obscure" Garcia said confused

"I don't need you to give me details. We're just trying to set a baseline for Jind Allah's truthfulness. I just need to know if it happened at all" Reid explained

"When I know, you'll know" Garcia said

"Thank you" Reid said hanging up.

"When the rubble was cleared... half... of my family was dead. It was on that day that I swore my life to vengeance for Allah" Jind Allah said

"And for that very reason those holding you here can never let you leave. Your only hope is to tell me so I can hopefully one day share your struggle with the world" Gideon explained

"Your government won't even admit that I exist. How possibly can you tell my side of the story?" Jind Allah asked before Gideon told him it was time to pray again.

Gideon walked into the TV room just as Reid's phone started to ring.

"You got Gideon, Fallon, and me" Reid said answering his phone and putting it on loud speaker.

"It's Hotch. We're at cell location number 2. No cell members, no lab, no dispersal devices. We're still looking for escape tunnels" Hotch explained

"Call us" Gideon said as they hung up.

"We're running out of time. The attack's supposed to take place in less than 24 hours" Reid said

"So getting Jind Allah to talk is our only chance of finding them" Lilith said

"I'll confront him with the truth" Gideon said

"What are you going to do?" Lilith asked

"Show him my hand" Gideon said simply and walked back into the room with Jind Allah.

"I'm going to give you the respect of telling you what just happened. A team of Agents raided an omega cell location. Actually, both of them. Our men are in place in Annandale as we speak. You gain nothing by remaining silent" Gideon explained and as he was explaining Jind Allah relaxed his hands.

"Jihad is forever" Jind Allah replied

"Something's wrong. His hands" Reid said suddenly before picking up the comms unit.

"Gideon, something's wrong. This guy seemed relieved by what you just told him" Reid explained

"Excuse me" Gideon said calmly before walking out of the room.

"Get Hotch" Gideon said and Reid called him

"What's the problem?" Hotch said answering

"Get everybody out of there. Now! Now! Now!" Gideon yelled into the phone.

"Everybody out. It's a trap. Now! I said out! Go!" Hotch shouted on his end before a loud explosion went off.

….

"They ok?" Reid asked worried once Gideon got off the phone.

"We were right about the trap. It was rigged to explode. A SWAT agent was killed" Gideon said

"Was anthrax involved?" Lilith asked

"No" Gideon said

"Then that's not the final target" Reid stated before Gideon walked back into the room.

"You look troubled, my friend" Jind Allah said

"You killed one of my men" Gideon said simply

"I was here with you" Jind Allah replied

"The second location was a trap. One of my Agents was killed in the explosion" Gideon said sadly

"This is war. We expect casualties. Shouldn't you?" Jind Allah asked

"He was a good man" Gideon stated

"Well... if he would convert, there would be no reason for him to fear death" Jind Allah replied

"What do you say to his family?" Gideon asked

"I say... where... were you to mourn... when my son was murdered?" Jind Allah said

"His son?" Lilith asked confused

"Did you see that? When he told the story about his childhood, the bomb landing in the bazaar, his behaviour changed" Reid stated

"We know he was lying. Garcia couldn't find any record of a bombing during the time Jind Allah was a boy" Lilith explained

"Exactly, but this time when he mentioned his son, he looked at his hands, like he had to concentrate to control his anger" Reid explained

"That first story wasn't about him. It was about his son" Lilith concluded

"Which means it must have been more recent" Reid said before calling Garcia.

"Garcia. I need you to look for a bombing again in Egypt, but this time anything in the last 10 years" Reid explained

"On it" Garcia said

"We're looking for civilian casualties, an 8-year-old boy" Reid added

"Ok. I'm cross referencing bombings and child victims. 7 years ago, in the heart of Cairo, Egyptian government blamed Hezbollah, but conspiracy theories on the street claimed it was a joint U.S Israel strike that went astray. Your gross detainee's name is Jamal Abaza" Garcia explained

"How about his son's name? Do you have that?" Reid asked

"Amir abaza. 8. Killed in the blast" Garcia explained

"All right. Find out everything you can on that. I'll get back to you soon" Reid said hanging up before picking up the comms unit.

"We know his real identity" Reid said to Gideon.

"It appears that there will be no peaceful resolution to our difficulties after all" Jind Allah said simply

"I haven't given up that hope. It's time for your Salut-Ul-Isha prayers. May we speak again tomorrow?" Gideon asked

"You are asking me?" Jind Allah asked surprised

"Yes" Gideon said simply

"Tomorrow, then" Jind Allah agreed as Gideon walked out of the room.

"Jamal Abaza's been in the U.S. For a while. He volunteered as the prison imam at the dear field correctional center 3 years ago" Garcia explained on loud speaker once Gideon called her back.

"How could the CIA not know that?" Reid asked

"They're focused overseas. We're domestic" Lilith said

"Yeah. They probably sent a request for a domestic information search, and it's somewhere making its way through channels" Garcia explained

"If he was a prison Imam, he must have recruited militant Islamic society members. M.I.S. Is an atypical prison organization, they pick up an amalgam of ethnicities? Those that slip through the cracks are the ones that traditional groups won't accept. It's made up largely of American citizens. American citizens with a reason for hating the government" Reid explained

"We're looking at home grown terrorists" Gideon said before they left their office and found the CIA agents they interrupted at the start.

"What the hell do you want?" One of them snapped.

"The name Jamal Abaza. Does it mean anything to you?" Gideon asked

"Abaza was an imam in Cairo. He preached jihad to his followers, but he fell off the grid 7 years ago" The CIA agent explained

"That's because when his son died, he took the jihad name Jind Allah. He came to America to recruit sleeper cells" Gideon explained

"You're telling us that that detainee in there is Jamal Abaza?" They asked standing up

"Amazing what you learn when you talk to people" Gideon replied

"He was also a prison imam in Virginia 3 years ago. Are you familiar with the militant Islamic society?" Reid asked

"They're home grown?" An Agent asked

"We know the cell that abaza put together has access to anthrax, but we can't find any reports of any going missing in the states" Lilith explained

"We have protocols that we have to follow" The agent said simply

"You really going to allow a terrorist attack on U.S. Soil because of protocols? I told you what I learned in there because you and I, FBA, CIA, right now we have the ability to break through all the protocol and share information" Gideon explained

"Let me see what we have" An Agent said agreeing

"Coordinate with Agent Jareau and Penelope Garcia at Quantico. Please" Gideon said before they hurried back to the TV room.

"Think it'll work?" Reid asked

"I don't know" Gideon replied

"CIA's tough. They play it pretty close to the vest" Lilith explained

"Well, if we don't all work together, more people are gonna die. A lot more" Gideon said simply.

…


	5. Chapter 5

"Slept well?" Gideon asked walking into the cell integration room the next day.

"For the first time since I've been here" Jind Allah admitted

"Good" Gideon said

"Until yesterday, I was not permitted regular prayer" Jind Allah explained

"We receive comfort from our prayers" Gideon stated

"We?" Gideon asked

"Human beings" Gideon explained and Jind Allah remained silent.

"I say something wrong?" Gideon asked

"You placed us on the same level" Jind Allah stated

"Aren't we?" Gideon asked

"Well, here I am thought of as less than human" Jind Allah explained

"And in your Jihad, I am" Gideon added

"Gideon... what do you really want from me?" Jind Allah asked

"I already told you. I want to understand you" Gideon explained

"And if that is not possible?" Jind Allah asked

"Then that would be my loss. It's almost time for your midday prayers. May I return later?" Gideon asked

"I look forward to it" Jind Allah said

"Thank you" Gideon said before walking out the door and into the TV room with Lilith and Reid.

"He seems much calmer than he was yesterday. May make any reading of his body language less accurate" Reid explained

"I know" Gideon said

"Is that what we want?" Lilith asked confused

"I hope so" Gideon said before leaving the room

"Well, isn't that the exact opposite of…." Lilith started to say before realising he wasn't there.

"He hopes so?" Lilith asked Reid

"We have less than 10 hours before the new crescent moon rises" Lilith stated

"9" Reid corrected

"Aren't you worried?" Lilith asked confused

"I've been with him long enough to trust him" Reid explained seriously and Lilith nodded.

"If you trust him, then I'll trust him" Lilith said simply and Reid nodded to her.

"Reid, I want you coming in there with me" Gideon said suddenly, after getting off the phone.

Reid looked confused before following him in. Lilith's phone rang.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Lilith asked

"Gideon wanted me to create a false news report on an explosion" Garcia explained

"To trick Jind Allah" Lilith said in realization.

"Ok, what do you need me to do?" Lilith asked as Gideon and Reid walked into the room.

"Have you finished?" Gideon asked

"As you said, the sun is set" Jind Allah said

"Yes. I'd like you to meet a colleague of mine, Dr. Reid" Gideon introduced

"May we speak?" Gideon asked

"Of course. I have a little time" Jind Allah joked but Gideon and Reid just looked confused

"That was a joke. I have all the time. Please" Jind Allah explained and motioned for him to take a seat.

"A joke. Well, we're making progress" Gideon said with a sigh.

"Yes, progress. That is true" Jind Allah replied

"Is there no way for this thing to end? This Jihad?" Gideon asked

"The Jihad will end when Allah wills its end" Jind Allah explained

"Then how will you know that it is Allah's will?" Gideon asked

"When the Jihad ends" Jind Allah said simply

"I have been lying to you" Gideon said suddenly and Reid looked at him shocked.

"Of course you have" Jind Allah replied

"My colleague has been outside watching us as we talked on monitors. Watching your body language, trying to figure you out" Gideon explained

"Were you successful?" Jind Allah asked Reid as he stood nervously in the room.

"Somewhat. Your name is Jamal Abaza. Your son Amir was killed in 2003 in the bombing at the Mahfouz bazaar in Cairo. Since then, you've been recruiting M.I.S Members in prison by convincing them that U.S. Economic policies are exploiting third world nations and turned them into extreme fundamentalists by promising a better existence with Allah" Reid explained

"I would say that you were more than somewhat successful" Jind Allah said impressed

"But I did not learn where your M.I.S. Cell was going to make an anthrax attack in the U.S. At the new crescent tonight" Gideon explained

"I have no knowledge of such a thing" Jind Allah lied

"Yes, you do, Mr. Abaza. And there is still time" Gideon said before pretending to listen to someone.

"What? Are you sure?" Gideon asked sadly before leaving the room.

"Is the footage ready?" Gideon asked Lilith and she nodded.

"Something has happened?" Jind Allah asked as he saw the fake news report

"How could you? You choose to contort Islam into an excuse for a life of violence. You have perverted your faith to justify murder" Gideon said sadly as Lilith and Reid looked on, sadly.

"Now we are finally chatting, Gideon" Jind Allah said

"You accuse American's of being puppeteers of the third world, yet you used your own people's faith tonight to make them dance for you. Why? Why is it always those who profess to be the most fervent believers in this war, they always manipulate other people to die for them?" Gideon asked, pacing the room.

"Does your president go to battle? Or does he send your children?" Jind Allah asked, standing up angrily.

"Tonight...all those innocent people" Gideon played

"There is no such thing, Gideon. They were infidels. And they were engaged in activities that spread American policies over the entire world. Your incessant need to own things, material things. Your capitalism rests on the back of third world countries. No one's hands are clean. No one is innocent" Jind Allah said passionately

"Those people tonight, they were innocent. They never hurt you" Gideon shouted

"They hurt me by existing. Yes, the infidels shall fall at the hands of the righteous. And that is when the Jihad will end" Jind Allah shouted back

"So you are ready to murder 4 billion people" Gideon asked

"America has learned nothing from the past. You harden targets like your power plants, but you leave the soft root for our taking. What has happened tonight will affect your economy for years, the way September 11th affected air travel. And maybe the next time a giant shopping center opens, people will think twice before going. And maybe next it will be a school" Jind Allah ranted as the team realised it was shopping centre.

"Hey!" Jind Allah shouted as Gideon left the room.

"You can shut the video feed down now, Garcia" Reid said into the phone.

"Has the sun not set yet?" Jind Allah asked worried

"No" Reid said simply as Lilith grabbed her phone and called Hotch.

"Fallon?" Hotch asked

"A shopping center. A mall. It's a grand opening tonight not long after sunset. That gives you about an hour" Lilith explained

"God help us if they don't make it" Gideon whispered as Lilith hung up.

…

Once Lilith, Reid and Gideon got news that Hotch and Morgan were successful, they gathered their things together and got on the jet to head home.

"When did you know you were gonna have to trick him?" Lilith asked as she sat next to Reid, who was playing chess with Gideon.

"The first time I talked to him" Gideon said simply

"You realized you couldn't break him?" Lilith asked

"Well, I realized he was too smart to have had that Nextel phone registered to him accidentally. He drew us there. He wanted our presence at Gitmo to confirm that he was successful" Gideon explained

"And that's when you started moving up the time of his prayers" Lilith concluded, impressed.

"If I'd used an actual clock, he might have caught on" Gideon joked

"So it was all a chess game" Reid stated

"We won this round... but you heard him. Jihad never ends" Gideon muttered before moving a chess piece on the board.

"Mate" Gideon said simply

"I quit. Yield. Surrender. Capitulate. I'm gonna take a nap" Reid said before walking over to the longer lounge.

"Fallon" Gideon said

'Sir?' Lilith asked confused

"You play?" Gideon asked

"Do you think Reid would let me be his best friend if I didn't play?" Lilith joked and earned an actual laugh from Gideon as he reset the chessboard.

…..


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 2 – Sex, Birth, Death**

Reid was walking up the stairs of the train station on his way to work before a male teenager stopped him.

"You're Dr. Reid" The teenager said shocked

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?" Reid asked confused

"I just know what you do" The teenager replied

"Ok" Reid said still confused

"I saw you in Georgetown a few weeks ago. You gave a lecture on sexual sadism and how you helped catch the Mill Creek Killer in St. Louis" The teenager explained

"I-I'm not much of a, uh- a public speaker" Reid stuttered awkwardly

"I don't know. I thought you seemed cool" The teenager explained

"You look kind of young to go to Georgetown" Reid stated

"Um, I'm a junior at northwest high school" He explained

"And you just go to lectures on anger excitation for fun?" Reid asked

"I don't have a lot of friends" He replied awkwardly

"So you're interested in profiling?" Reid asked curiously

"Yeah. I mean, I read a lot, you know, true crime, like graphic novels, mostly. They're all about whether there's really such a thing as evil, like nature versus nurture, all that, so I figured it'd be smart to hear it from an expert, you know? So you said a lot of 'em kill prostitutes?" The teenager asked curiously

"It's the number one serial killer target, actually" Reid explained

"Well, is that for sex or because they think they're dirty and they need to be punished?" The teenager asked and Reid looked confused.

"Were you waiting here for me?" Reid asked softly

"What would it mean if somebody were stabbing them and cutting off their hair?" The teenager asked suddenly

"I've never, uh… I've never heard of a case like that. Do you wanna go to the BAU with me, maybe talk to some of my other team members?" Reid asked

"I actually have to go to school" The teenager said before taking off.

"Give me your… your name and your number, and I'll call you and…" Reid started to say but the teenager had taken off. Reid turned and ran off.

"Hey, Spence" JJ said as Reid walked into the office in a hurry, drawing something.

"JJ, who's your contact at the D.C. Police?" Reid asked

"Uh… Victor Barnes. Why? You need me to call him?" JJ asked confused but Reid hurried over to his desk and called the D.C Police.

"Hi. Detective Barnes, please" Reid said into the phone as Gideon and Lilith walked over to Reid worried.

"What's wrong?" Gideon asked

"Need to get that to everyone as soon as possible" Reid said handing Gideon a drawing of a male teenager.

"Uh, Hi. Detective Barnes, this is Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid at the Behavioural Analysis Unit at Quantico. Have you had any recent murders involving prostitutes, maybe just jane does? They would have been stabbed to death, and their hair would've been cut off by the killer" Reid asked as Lilith, JJ and Gideon shared a confused looked.

"When was the most recent victim? I'll explain when I see you. I'll meet you in a half-hour" Reid said hanging up.

"Reid" Lilith said placing a hand on his shoulder to slow him down.

"What's going on?" Lilith asked softly, as if it was just Reid and her in the room.

"D.C. May have a serial killer. I think I just let him get away" Reid said looking into Lilith's grey eyes worried and annoyed at himself.

…..

"We found her 4 days ago in an ally off "k" street. Still no I.D" Detective Barnes explained once Reid, Lilith, and Gideon arrived at the morgue with Detective Barnes.

"Hey. Just got your message" Hotch said walking into the room.

"Aaron Hotchner, Vic Barnes" Gideon introduced as Hotch put on some gloves.

"Hi. What have we got?" Hotch asked

"This is the second victim. The first one was killed 3 months ago, both in the early morning" Reid explained

"Both had their hair chopped?" Hotch asked and Reid nodded

"Uniform didn't make the connection, because he was fixated on this" Barnes explained as he moved the sheet to reveal the word 'HELP' carved into her stomach. Reid's jaw dropped in shock, Lilith subconsciously moved closer to him for support.

"The first victim didn't have anything carved on her?" Gideon asked

"Just a routine Jane Doe" Barnes explained

"Take a look. A lot are shallow. They're hesitation marks. He's not certain he wants to be killing" Gideon explained

"Makes you think the message he carved is sincere" Lilith stated

"He's asking the police to help him stop" Reid added

"Fits with your kid seeking you out. Part of him wants to get caught" Gideon explained

"I let him go. I'm sorry" Reid said disappointed

"We'll find him" Gideon said reassuringly

"If both murders took place in the morning, how come there were no witnesses?" Hotch asked

"The motels and alleys around the capitol are notorious. People go out of their way not to look" Barnes explained

"Fallon, go join Morgan on the streets and talk to some of the girls" Hotch said and Lilith placed a hand on Reid's shoulder in comfort before walking out of the room.

She met up with Morgan and found a worker on the corner.

"At night, no one can see down there. During the day, you just duck behind the dumpster or into a doorway" A prostitute named Holly explained as Lilith and her walked down an alleyway.

"Business is pretty heavy here in the mornings?" Lilith asked

"How do I know you're not just looking to crack down on us?" Holly asked as an another blonde worker walked over to them with Morgan.

"Because I'm telling you. We're here trying to protect you" Lilith said firmly

"A lot of johns from the hill stop by on their way to work" Holly explained

"We always say the same politicians yelling about cleaning up the hill, the ones dropping 50 bucks with us before they make the speech" The new blonde woman, named Rhonda explained

"It's true, and the more important they think they are, the quicker they accidentally finish up with us. It's weird like that" Holly added

"No, that's pretty much universal" Lilith said sarcastically and Morgan smirked

"You recognize him at all?" Morgan asked showing them Reid's drawing.

"I don't know his name or nothing" Holly said

"He hangs around, tries to pretend like he's not watching us. He's just a horny kid, you know" Rhonda explained

"You didn't see him talking to any of the other girls out here?" Morgan asked

"I just figured he's the kind gets his little bit of danger and goes home and takes business into his own hands" Rhonda explained

"Is he the one who did this?" Holly asked

"We don't know, but someone did, so you need to be careful" Lilith said

"We stick to the daylight and only work the high-end blocks" Rhonda explained

"How old are you?" Lilith asked Holly curiously

"21" Holly said and Lilith stared at her not believing her.

"19" Holly corrected

"Just watch out for each other, ok?" Lilith said simply and walked off with Morgan.

….


	7. Chapter 7

"This is impossible" Reid argued with Garcia in her office.

"Says you" Garcia said amused

"There's nothing in the juvenile offender records" Reid explained

"So you think like a high school kid" Garcia said simply

"I was 12, and I hadn't been through puberty when I was in high school" Reid explained

"Ok, reset. I think like a high school student. You think like a profiler. He said he was a junior, right?" Garcia asked and Reid nodded

"The first rule of the teen years, when talking to an authority figure, always lie and say you're older. He's probably a sophomore" Garcia explained

"Ok. His coat was lamb's wool, but it didn't look vintage. It fit like it had been tailored for him. That means money. In D.C., Money would mean private school" Reid explained

"Look at you go" Garcia said proudly

"Even a lie has to be within the depth of your own experience, right?" Reid asked

"Fair enough, fair enough" Garcia said simply

"Uh… Pull up the district that serves northwest high. Are there any private schools within those boundaries?" Reid asked as Garcia typed on the computer.

"Uh,3" Garcia stated

"Do any of them offer elective courses at Georgetown?" Reid asked

"One. The Morton school" Garcia explained

"Pull up the junior class. Uh, sophomore class" Reid said and they looked at the faces as Garcia scrolled down.

"Wait, wait. Stop" Reid said, seeing his photo.

"Nathan Harris" Garcia said

"We got him" Reid said happily.

…..

Reid, Lilith and Gideon arrived at Nathan Harris's house and rang the doorbell.

"I'll be right there" A woman called out before opening the door.

"I'm Jason Gideon with the FBI. Dr. Reid and Agent Fallon. We're looking for your son, Nathan" Gideon introduced

"Why?" Mrs. Harris asked

"We just wanna ask him some questions" Gideon explained

"Well, not until you explain what's going on" Mrs. Harris said firmly

"Uh, your son came to talk to me this morning about a murder case" Reid explained

"Why would Nathan know anything about a murder?" Mrs. Harris asked

"No, Mom, it's true. I…I did talk to him" Nathan said appearing in the room.

"Do you mind if I speak to him alone?" Nathan asked

"We'll stay out here, ma'am" Gideon said to Mrs. Harris.

"O-ok" Mrs. Harris said shocked and confused as Reid and Lilith walked into Nathan's room.

"I knew if you were really good, you'd find me" Nathan said to Reid once Lilith turned off the music that was playing.

"Is that why you were waiting for me? You…you wanted to get caught?" Reid asked

"What do you mean, "get caught"?" Nathan asked confused before Reid turned to look at his computer.

"Oh—hey" Nathan said and tried to stop him but Lilith held him back.

"Stay right there and keep your hands where I can see them" Lilith said firmly

"It's just the text for a graphic novel" Nathan explained

"About killing prostitutes?" Reid asked curiously

"Yeah, Jack the Ripper. It's a famous case" Nathan explained

"This isn't a game, kid" Lilith said unamused.

"I know" Nathan said softly

"You knew specific details about a murder that hasn't been publicized" Reid stated

"But I didn't kill her. I just… I really wanted to" Nathan admitted

Lilith and Reid shared a concerned look.

…

"Nathan, if you didn't do it, how'd you know the details of the murder?" Lilith asked in the interrogation room but at the police station. Reid sat across from Nathan as Lilith paced the room.

"Because I saw the body. It was early. It was before school. She… she was dressed in red. She'd been stabbed a lot, and her hair was all chopped off" Nathan explained

"Where was that?" Lilith asked

"In an alley off of "k" street. They take men down there for sex. I see 'em do it all the time" Nathan explained

"What were you doing down there?" Reid asked softly

"I don't know. I just sort of end up there sometimes; you know? I-I stay out all night, and I just come back in the morning, and if my mom's at work, I don't even bother coming home" Nathan explained

"Why didn't you call the police?" Reid asked

"I don't know" Nathan admitted

"Nathan, the prostitutes I talked to say you watch them" Lilith said as she leant against the table next to Reid.

"I'd never touch them" Nathan said firmly

"You fantasize about having sex with them?" Lilith asked

"No, I told you, I think about killing them. Look, after the lecture, I saw you at the metro stop a few times, and I thought maybe you could help me" Nathan explained

"How?" Reid asked confused

"I don't know. I saw that body, and I felt excited, and that really scared me" Nathan explained

"Is it possible that you actually killed those prostitutes, but you just don't want to admit it to yourself?" Lilith asked

"No" Nathan said firmly

"Then why'd you run away from me?" Reid asked

"Because I don't know, but I thought you'd say I was crazy and there was no way to stop it" Nathan admitted

Reid and Lilith walked out of the interrogation room and over to Gideon and Mrs. Harris.

"Ma'am, we'd like to let the juvenile authorities hold him overnight so we can do a psychological evaluation" Lilith said softly

"I can't believe this is real" Mrs. Harris said in shock

"Well, right now it's just an evaluation. I'd encourage Nathan to have a lawyer present" Gideon explained

"I don't know what he's going through, but the Nathan I know is a sweet boy" Mrs. Harris said

"I believe you" Reid said simply

"Do we have your permission?" Gideon asked and Mrs. Harris nodded

"I'll show you where to sign the paperwork" Reid said and they walked off as Morgan walked over to them.

"The juvenile authorities are waiting for Nathan Harris" Morgan said

"He's in interrogation" Gideon said and walked off.

"Is he our unsub?" Morgan asked

"I don't know. He says he didn't do it. He actually seems sincere. But he's a smart kid, and part of the sexual-sadist profile is the ability to mimic honesty and sincerity" Lilith explained before she walked over to Reid.

"Dr. Reid" Nathan said as the police were moving him.

"Yeah?" Reid asked

"I know I, um, don't deserve any favours, but whatever my psych evaluation says, you promise you'll tell me the truth?" Nathan asked and Reid nodded.

"Um, my mom says a promise doesn't count unless you say it out loud" Nathan muttered

"I promise" Reid said smiling.

"Ok. Thank you" Nathan said before being led away by the police. Morgan and Hotch looked over at Lilith and she nodded at their worried looks. She grabbed Reid's hand and led him to an empty room.

"You know; he might have killed 2 women. It's not your job to hold his hand through this" Lilith explained softly, still holding Reid's hand in comfort.

"It's like with my mom. I used to think that if I could just understand absolutely everything there is to know about schizophrenia, then I'd somehow be able to fix it" Reid whispered and Lilith pulled him in for a hug. He rested his head on her shoulder and hugged her tightly.

"You can't, I'm sorry" Lilith whispered

"Guys. I need everybody in the conference room. If Nathan Harris isn't our Unsub, we need a working profile" Hotch said knocking on the door. Reid and Lilith pulled apart and followed Hotch to the conference room.

"D.C. Police sent us these photos of the first victim" JJ explained as she put photos on the screen.

"This was the unsub's first kill. He held his urges in check for 3 months, and when he couldn't control them anymore, he sent this message to the cops. We know the "help" and the hesitation marks mean he was ambivalent about the kill. What we don't know is why he chopped the hair" Hotch explained

"He didn't take it with him. We know it's not a trophy" Morgan stated

"It's probably a way to minimize some of their power, robs them of their femininity" Gideon explained

"That fits with him killing during the early morning. It's the time when prostitutes have the least power sexually, as opposed to at night, when he might see them as being on the prowl" Reid explained

"Hey, I know we're just spit balling this here, but this profile points to Nathan Harris" Lilith said simply

"I don't wanna talk about Nathan Harris" Hotch said firmly

"Hotch, she is right. He reached out for help. This is an adolescent kid. He's probably intimidated sexually. I don't care how many times he says he didn't do it. He knew about the last victim, and he admitted to getting off on seeing her dead" Morgan explained

"We've got Nathan Harris. It doesn't do us any good to talk about him now. I just wanna make sure that if it's not him, we stay on top of thing before it takes on a life of its own" Hotch argued

"All right, all right, all right. We know our unsub is a sexual sadist" Gideon said stopping the argument.

"The symbolism of stabbing them probably means he's impotent" Lilith explained

"The only way he can get off is by killing" Morgan added

"Considering that cutting their hair and killing during the early morning both stem from feeling powerless, there's a chance his pathology's more than sexual" Reid explained

"What do you mean?" JJ asked

"This is D.C. Power's the most important commodity. Maybe this guy feels impotent in his professional life as well" Reid explained

"But why these particular women?" Morgan asked

"Simplest answer is that he has access" Reid explained

"Well, northwest D.C. Has 3 major hubs of prostitution-near Florida avenue; off Logan circle; and Mc Pherson Square, where the victims were found" JJ explained, getting the maps on the computer screen.

"Probably works in or around capitol hill" Gideon added

"Well, I'll go back out on the street in the morning and see if any of these women know someone who fits that description" Lilith explained

"Good. It's late. Let's go home" Hotch said dismissing us.

"Um, shouldn't we get word out to the papers?" JJ asked

"Not yet" Hotch said simply

"Well, it's not too late to make the morning edition" JJ added

"I said no" Hotch said firmly and walked out.

…..


	8. Chapter 8

"It says failure" Lilith muttered as she bent over the body of Holly. She grabbed her purse and started looking through it.

"She was only 16" Lilith snapped upset as she looked at her I.D. Hotch and Morgan walked over to her as she stood up.

"He's getting angrier and blaming the police for not stopping his impulses" Hotch explained

"Certainly not cooling off between kills anymore" Reid added

"Which means we're probably looking at a whole lot of bodies" Morgan said

"Meanwhile, in 2 days Congresswoman Steyer is going to stand up on the Capital and declare Washington crime-free" Hotch said

"Well, I guess we know Nathan Harris isn't our Unsub" Morgan stated

"Should we call Gideon and tell him to not to bother with the eval?" Lilith asked

"No. He wants to understand what's happening to him. He deserves to know" Reid said simply and Lilith nodded.

….

Lilith was just about to leave and go back on the streets when Reid walked up to her.

"Reid?" Lilith asked concerned when he didn't say anything.

"Can… can you come with me to ask Gideon about Nathan's eval?" Reid asked nervously

"You really care about him, don't you?" Lilith asked and Reid nodded.

"Let's go" Lilith said and they walked up to Gideon's office and knocked on the door.

"Have you reached a conclusion about Nathan Harris yet?" Reid asked nervously

"Profiles and evaluations are an inexact science" Gideon said

"But your professional opinion?" Reid asked

"Not a question of whether he ends up killing someone. It's when" Gideon explained before Reid took off upset. Lilith and Gideon shared a concerned look before Lilith took off after Reid.

"Reid!" Lilith called out but suddenly Reid's phone rang.

"Dr. Reid" Reid said answering. Lilith watched as his face dropped and he hung up.

"What's wrong?" Lilith asked stepping closer to Reid.

"Nathan is missing" Reid whispered.

Lilith quickly gathered the team and then Reid and Lilith got in the car and left.

"He's gotta be out here, right? Where else would he be?" Reid asked worried as they drove the streets.

"I still can't believe his mother's not out here searching for him" Lilith commented

"I told her it'd be better if she waited for him at home" Reid explained

"Reid, you know this is not your responsibility" Lilith said worried

"It is. I can't explain" Reid muttered

"I'm your best friend, Reid. Talk to me" Lilith said softly

"He knows I understand him" Reid stated

"Of course you do. You're a profiler" Lilith explained

"It's more than that" Reid said

"How?" Lilith asked

"I know what it's like to be afraid of your own mind" Reid replied softly and Lilith reached over and grabbed his hand.

"What's up with Hotch today?" Reid joked, changing the subject as Lilith let go of his hand.

"I don't know. Maybe he tied that knot in his tie a little too tight again" Lilith laughed before her phone rang.

"Yeah" She said picking it up.

"Ok. We're on our way" Lilith said looking at Reid.

"They just found a body" Lilith explained as he turned the car around and a few minutes later, pulled up at the crime scene.

"I'd say he's getting bolder" Morgan said as Lilith and Reid walked up the steps to find Gideon and Morgan already there.

"If it's the same unsub" Gideon added

"Think it could've been Nathan?" Reid asked

"This kill was fast and messy" Gideon stated

"There's no cut hair, no message carved" Morgan explained

"Not to mention killing at night. None of it's our unsub's signature" Lilith added

"Excuse me, Agent. They found the boy you're looking for" A local cop said to Gideon. Lilith and Reid left the crime scene and followed the local cop to a church.

"Says he's been here 4 hours" The cop said before walking off. Reid looked at Lilith, silently begging and Lilith nodded. She stood back as Reid walked over to Nathan.

"Got a lot of people worried" Reid said sitting next to him.

"Sorry" Nathan muttered

"Told that policeman that you've been here 4 hours?" Reid asked

"I snuck out, and I started walking, like I couldn't control it, so I figured I'd come here and try and fight it" Nathan explained

"Has anybody seen you here?" Reid asked

"Doesn't matter, anyway" Nathan said shaking his head.

"It does matter, Nathan. A woman was stabbed tonight, and nobody saw you. I'm gonna have to bring you in as a suspect" Reid explained sadly

"You gonna cuff me?" Nathan asked and Reid looked over at Lilith. Lilith handed him her cuffs.

"Let's go" Reid muttered and put the cuffs of him.

"Do you wanna know what I've been doing all night?" Nathan asked

"Hmm?" Reid asked

"Just been sitting here, thinking the only way for me to save people's lives in the future is to kill myself" Nathan explained and Reid looked at Lilith worried.

…


	9. Chapter 9

"So Nathan's in custody?" JJ asked walking over to Reid and Gideon as they walked into the office.

"They're holding him downtown" Reid explained

"You really think he killed that last woman?" JJ asked

"It's possible" Reid said trailing off.

"But?" JJ asked

"Nathan's evolving. This last kill, it feels like a devolution" Reid explained as they walked into the conference room.

"It was sloppy and angry. Nathan's smart and directed. He's used to achieving. If he decides to kill, it'll be clinical and efficient" Gideon explained

"So where does that leave us?" JJ asked

"Back to the profile" Gideon stated as Lilith, Morgan and Hotch walked into the conference room.

"First victim, he gets a taste for killing. Second, he asks the police to help stop him. By the third, he feels like they've failed him. He's already devolving. The fourth, no ritual, no message, just a brutal murder" Hotch explained, going through the photos.

"It's true that he's devolving, but this last victim definitely had a message. You don't dump a body across from the capitol building by accident" Gideon explained

"Especially not when a congresswoman is about to proclaim success against the crime epidemic" Lilith added

"Exactly" Gideon agreed

"Guys, that press conference wasn't announced yet. Only someone with inside information would know that" JJ explained

"We profiled the unsub felt limited in his job. What's more powerless than being a bit player on the Washington stage?" Reid asked

"You know, if he felt like he did his part to clear the prostitutes off the street, but was never heard, he might have felt so personally betrayed that he literally had to carve his frustration out on those women" Morgan explained

"So the profile was right. We were just wrong about who the message was for" Reid stated

"We need to get a list of anyone who advocated on behalf of that bill" Gideon stated

"Fallon, when you went back to talk to the prostitutes, did a profile ring a bell with any of them?" Hotch asked

"A few of them described what sounded like the same man, but when I showed them mug shots, I came up empty" Lilith explained

"Let's go back to them. We're gonna need their help" Hotch explained

"What are you thinking about, Hotch?" Hotch asked

"I need to get a message to Congresswoman Steyer. How quickly can we put together a press conference?" Hotch asked JJ

"How fast do you need it?" JJ asked simply.

"Let's go" Hotch said and they left the room.

"Reid, go with Garcia and narrow down the suspect pool, Fallon and Morgan, you go and collect some of the women on the streets" Gideon explained and everyone nodded and departed.

….

"You could've done that much more quietly" Congresswoman Steyer said appearing at Hotch's office.

"I know. There's some people I'd like for you to meet" Hotch explained as he led her to the conference room where Lilith was waiting with some women.

"Just what point are you trying to make?" Steyer asked

"These women described similar experiences with the same man. We showed them police mug photos, and they didn't recognize him. We thought maybe you might know who he is" Hotch explained

"Did you think you could shock me by treating me to this sideshow?" Steyer asked rudely and Lilith clenched her fists angrily.

"Sideshow?" Rhonda asked annoyed

"Lady, enough of the men you work with treat themselves to us every day" A black haired woman named Racine explained

"My apologies, ladies" Steyer said insincerely.

"Could you please tell the congresswoman who it is we're looking for" Lilith said to them

"He's tall and bald, and he's got sad eyes" Rhonda explained

"He was always wearing a turtleneck with this long, dark coat, looked like a mortician" The third lady named Kira added

"That's right. Hung around just watching for months before he finally got his nerve on, but then he just wanted to watch" Racine explained

"Freak paid me and Racine 200 bucks to turn each other's knobs, but then he started screaming at us that we were low women" Kira explained

"Same thing with me, and his voice got real high and nasal when he got excited" Rhonda explained

"Does that sound like anyone that you know?" Hotch asked

"No" Steyer said simply

"I'm gonna read you a list of groups that lobbied on behalf of your legislation. Keeping in mind the description you just heard, tell me if anyone associated with these groups could be the man we're looking for. Uh, "the crime policy institute, "the center for safety, citizens' brigade, decency watch…" Reid said walking into the room.

"Oh, my god" Steyer said suddenly

"Decency watch?" Lilith asked

"The man who runs it" Steyer explained

"Ronald Weems" Reid read from the list.

"Do you know him?" Hotch asked

"No. I mean, yes, but he's a nobody" Steyer explained

"But he fits this description?" Lilith asked

"Perfectly" Steyer said firmly

"I'll take Gideon and Morgan to his house. Fallon, take the girls home and Reid continue to find any information you can on him with Garcia" Hotch ordered before leaving.

….

"We're looking for Ronald Weems" Hotch said to Mrs. Weems as she opened the door to see Hotch, Gideon and Morgan.

"I-I'm sorry. You just missed him. Why don't you come back in a couple hours?" Mrs. Weems asked

"Don't you wanna know why we're here?" Gideon asked

"Of course. Yes. I'm sorry" Mrs. Weems said nervously

"We're investigating the murders of local prostitutes" Morgan explained

"I-I'm glad that Ronald is helping you with that, but I'm afraid I don't know anything about it" Mrs. Weems explained

"We'd just like to take a look in your husband's office" Morgan stated

"Please?" Morgan added

"Ronald doesn't allow anyone in there. I'm sorry. You really should come back" Mrs. Weems said softly

"In the last 6 months did your husband start asking you to play out sexual fantasies?" Gideon asked casually

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Weems asked shocked

"Possibly even berated you if you played along?" Gideon added

"I don't think that's appropriate" Mrs. Weems said weakly

"When it finally stopped about a month ago, you were relieved" Hotch stated

"Ma'am, you're afraid to ask us why we're here. Now, in your heart, you know we're not here because Ronald's helping us with this investigation" Morgan explained

"Good night" Mrs. Weems said and closed the door.

"You've been glad to have him leave the house at odd hours, because he's been angry and frustrated. When he comes home, he feels like the man you married again" Gideon said through the closed door. Mrs. Weems opened the door back up.

"His office. Please" Gideon said simply and she let them into the house.

The three agents looked around the office to see newspaper articles tapped the wall.

""Why won't they clean them off the street? The blood is on their hands. I see a world set free of vice and vermin, cleansed of the blood of the whores who walk the street"" Morgan read from a file in Ronald's office.

"Do you know where your husband went?" Gideon asked Mrs. Weems.

"He said he had work to do" She said worried.

Hotch pulled out his phone and called Lilith.

"Fallon, it's him and he is out there right now. We need everyone on the streets" Hotch explained

"Reid!" Lilith called out, hanging up.

….


	10. Chapter 10

The team walked around the streets asking if anyone had seen Ronald Weems. Lilith and Morgan had just shared a disappointed look when they heard a rape whistle being blown loudly. They ran towards the noise, so did Hotch and Reid.

"Ronald Weems, don't move!" Hotch said holding his gun out.

"Put your hands in the air and get down on your knees" Hotch said

"They lied to me" Weems said as Rhonda ran over to Weems and sprayed him in the eyes with pepper spray.

"Get her out of here!" Hotch shouted as Morgan ran in and picked her up.

"He killed my friend!" Rhonda screamed

"I know" Morgan said carrying her away.

"She maced me" Weems cried out in pain.

"Yeah, she did" Lilith said amused as Hotch cuffed him.

"They said they'd clean 'em off the streets. They lied. What was I supposed to do?!" Weems shouted as Hotch gave him to some locals and they put in the car.

The team met back up at the BAU and Reid was sitting by his desk with Lilith leaning on it when Garcia walked over to him, with Nathan.

"Hey" Garcia said softly and Lilith placed a hand on Reid's shoulder before leaving with Garcia.

"Hi. I heard the juvenile authorities let you go today. I'm sorry I wasn't there" Reid said, standing up.

"Mm, it's all right" Nathan said simply

"Where's your mom?" Reid asked

"Oh, she had to go back to work. I told her I was coming to see you. So were you there when they caught him?" Nathan asked

"Yeah, I was" Reid said softly

"Did he say how long he knew what he was?" Nathan asked

"No" Reid said sadly

"Well, do you think it's possible to maybe talk to him or…" Nathan started to ask

"I'm sorry. You're not him. Who we are is-it's constantly evolving. I'm a lot older than you, and I'm changing all the time. You know, this- this job changes me. You've changed me. You sought me out to try to understand how not to harm people. It's a far more important part of who you are than the one that scares you" Reid explained

"My mom wants to have me go to a hospital for a little bit" Nathan stated

"Maybe that's not such a bad idea" Reid whispered

"You know, once they lock me up, they're never gonna let me out of there" Nathan said bitterly

"You don't know that" Reid said firmly

"Whatever. I just came to say good-bye" Nathan said simply

"When you going in?" Reid asked

"Supposed to be tomorrow. So, last night of freedom. I don't know. I'm- thank you for caring" Nathan said before walking away.

"Come on, you and me, we're hitting the town" Lilith said handing Reid his jacket.

"No offense, Lilith, but I'm not really feeling like I'd make the, uh, best company right now" Reid said sulkily

"Since when are you good company?" Lilith joked and Reid smiled at that.

"Up. Up. Do not make me hurt you" Lilith threatened and Reid chuckled and reluctantly stood up.

"There you go" Lilith said grinning.

"So, where are we going?" Reid asked once they were in the car park.

"Your house to watch Star Trek" Lilith said simply and Reid frowned.

"I thought you said we were going out" Reid asked confused and Lilith smirked at him.

"Come on, Reid. I know you better than that" Lilith said and Reid laughed before his phone rang.

"Hello?" Reid asked answering the phone.

"What? Oh, god. Uh, uh, stay… Stay where you are. I'm calling an ambulance" Reid said hanging up.

"I-I need you to drive, Lilith" Reid said hurried and they jumped in her car.

Lilith turned on her sirens and sped through the streets to the hotel that Reid told her to go too. They ran into to see Nathan laying on the bed, bleeding heavily from his wrists.

"He just started slashing himself up" Kira cried out

Reid ran over and grabbed onto his wrists as Lilith grabbed Kira's scarf and wrapped it around his wrist tightly.

"Tie it around there as tight as you can" Reid said hurried

"Get… get anything at all, a belt" Reid shouted at Kira but she was frozen in shock. Lilith ripped off her own shirt and tore it into one long strip and tied it around his other wrist.

"Is it tight? Is it tight"? Reid shouted at Lilith.

"Yes, Reid" Lilith said calmly, ignoring him shouting at her.

"Stop. Don't" Nathan begged as Reid kept pressure on his wrists.

"I'm gonna keep pressure on him" Reid muttered

"No" Nathan muttered

"Where the hell are the medics?!" Reid shouted angrily

"I can hear them coming" Lilith explained, trying to remain calm.

"Don't" Nathan begged

"I'm not gonna let you die" Reid told Nathan firmly.

"Where are the medics?" Reid asked just as they ran into the room.

"You can let go now. Sir" The medic said

"Reid" Lilith said tried to gain Reid's attention.

"Reid" Lilith whispered, placing a hand on Reid's cheek and forcing him to look at her. Reid slowly let go, his eyes never leaving Lilith's as the medics moved in.

"Sir, we're paramedics. We're here to help you' Can you tell me your name, sir?" The medics asked as Lilith led a shocked Reid out of the hotel. Hotch and the rest of the team showed up at that exact moment. Gideon led Reid away as Lilith lent against the fence.

"How did she know to call Reid?" Morgan asked, handing Lilith his jacket, since she was just wearing a sports bra.

"Nathan set Reid's business card on the table before he cut himself, like a suicide note" Lilith explained

"Paramedics say he wouldn't've made it without you. You saved his life" Gideon said Reid, just around the corner.

"He wanted me to let him die" Reid muttered

"He's sick. He needed saving" Gideon said simply

"How many people's lives did I risk in the future?" Reid asked

"Profiles can be wrong" Gideon stated

"What if it's not? What if next time, he kills somebody?" Reid asked worried

"Then you catch him" Gideon said simply

"Fallon" Gideon called out and Lilith walked over to them. Lilith wrapped her arm around Reid's shoulders and pulled him in for a hug. Reid rested his head on her shoulder.

"I'm taking him home" Lilith said to Gideon, who simply nodded.

…


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 3 – Profiler, Profiled.**

"Nothing's happening" JJ said bored as Reid, JJ and Garcia looked at Reid's desk, waiting. JJ and Garcia looked bored while Reid looked like a kid on Christmas day.

"Watch" Reid said in a high pitch voice.

"Ah" JJ squealed as the film canister flew across the room… and into Lilith.

"Ooh Ah, what…" Lilith said confused as she held her head. JJ and Garcia burst out laughing as Reid ran over to his best friend.

"I'm so sorry, Lilith" Reid said

"What was that?" Lilith asked confused

"Don't you recognize a rocket when you see one" Garcia said laughing

"I-I was merely demonstrating a physics law I-I-I didn't mean to hi…" Reid stuttered nervously as he explained.

"You got a new one?" Lilith asked excitedly and Reid nodded

"Show me!" Lilith said as they walked over to his table.

"All right. Uh... well, turn around, please" Reid said Lilith rolled her eyes with JJ and Garcia as they turned around.

"Still not going to show us how it's done?" JJ joked

"A magician doesn't reveal his secrets" Reid said simply while Lilith mimicked him.

"All right, all right, turn back and observe" Reid said excited as the woman of the team turned around and watch the film canister.

"Oh" They all said in surprise as it flew into the air and landed at Hotch's feet.

"Physics magic" Hotch asked picking up the canister.

"Yes, sir" Reid said nervously

"Reid, we talked about this" Hotch said firmly

"I'm sorry, sir" Reid replied

"Really starting to get some distance on those" Hotch joked as he placed the canister on Reid's desk.

"So he does have a sense of humour?" Lilith joked

"Sometimes" Reid replied amused

"Hey, where's Morgan?" Lilith asked looking around confused.

"In Chicago. He goes there every year for his mother's birthday" Reid explained

….

"1,2,3... happy birthday to ya. Happy birthday to ya. Happy birthday" Morgan and his sister's sang for their mother.

"Go ahead, Momma" Morgan said happily

"Did you make this yourself?" Mrs. Morgan asked her daughter, Desiree.

"Uh, Sarah helped me" Desiree admitted

"Momma, they wouldn't let me help so I don't know how good it's gonna taste" Morgan said laughing

"Oh, no, no, no. You remember that Christmas fiasco of 1994" Sarah Morgan teased

"Whatever, that was 12 years ago. Let it go" Morgan said laughing

"No, no, we still get cards from the fire department" Sarah laughed

"Momma, momma, you see how they treat your baby boy" Morgan pouted jokingly

"You be good to your brother" Fran Morgan said firmly but jokingly.

"Uh-huh, what she said" Morgan said

"No, no, no, you got the baby part right" Sarah teased

"Ok, you know what. Ok now..." Morgan said taking some icing from the cake and trying to put it on Sarah's face.

"Ok, wish, wish" Fran said thinking

"Make a wish" Desiree said before Fran blew the candles out.

"There it is" Morgan said laughing.

The Morgan Family moved over to the lounge for present time.

"What is it?" Fran asked once she opened Morgan's present.

"Here. It's a remote starter, mom. You hit that button right there and it starts your car from inside the house" Morgan explained

"Why would I do that?" Fran asked

"So it's nice and warm when you get in it" Morgan explained

"Really?" Fran said excitedly

"No more, cold cars in the winter, mom" Morgan stated

"I would like one for Christmas" Sarah said

"Not for that bucket you drive" Morgan teased

"Shut up" Sarah said before leaving the room with Desiree.

"We miss you around here, baby" Fran said softly

"I know" Morgan replied

"Your sisters wish you were around more" Fran added

"You know the unit I work for is only out of Virginia, you know that" Morgan explained

"Well...you're careful, right. I lost your dad. I can't lose you" Fran said worried

"You won't" Morgan said reassuringly

"Good. Because you owe me some grand babies" Fran said firmly

"Oh, come on, mom" Morgan moaned before there was a knock on the door.

"Oh, look at that, saved by the bell" Morgan joked before looking through the peep hole.

"What the hell?" Morgan asked and opened it to reveal a local detective.

"Gordinski" Morgan asked confused and annoyed.

"You armed?" Gordinski asked

"Excuse me?" Morgan asked confused

"Are you wearing a gun?" Gordinski snapped

"No, not right now" Morgan replied

"Then turn around" Gordinski said simply

"This is some kind of sick joke, right?" Morgan asked confused

"Don't make us get physical. It'll only make it worse for your family. You're under arrest, Derek" Gordinski said as Morgan looked shocked and confused.

….

"You know; you better have a really good reason for doing that in front of my family. You gonna tell me the charges now" Morgan snapped as he was led through the police station and into the interrogation room.

"Oh, I bet if you think real hard you'll be able to figure it out, Derek" Gordinski said rudely.

"Agent Morgan" Morgan corrected

"You'll always just be Derek to me" Gordinski stated

"And you'll always be a racist son of a bitch to me" Morgan replied

"Right, Derek. That's all it is" Gordinski said laughing

"Then what, man?" Morgan asked

"Man, I should have done this a long time ago" Gordinski said chuckling.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Morgan asked as he sat down in a chair.

"Oh, wow. There isn't gonna be a hole deep enough to bury your career. What's wrong with you, man? You know I'm an FBI Agent" Morgan asked

"Well, then you should be fairly aware of your rights. Do you want a lawyer?" Gordinski asked mockingly

"I'm not some punk kid you can scare anymore, Gordinski" Morgan said firmly

"Tough guy... you want a lawyer Yes or no?" Gordinski asked

"I want a phone call" Morgan said simply

"Local?" Gordinski asked

"I need to call my supervisor at FBI Headquarters in Quantico" Morgan said

"Agent Hotchner? He's already getting a call" Gordinski said simply.

…

"This is SSA Hotchner, I need an emergency recall of Agents Reid, Fallon, Jareau and Penelope Garcia as well" Hotch said into his phone.

"Yeah-uh, yes, I'll call him myself, thank you" Hotch said before hanging up and them calling Gideon.

"Jason, it's Hotch, we've got to get to Chicago, Morgan's been arrested. Homicide" Hotch explained firmly.

…..


	12. Chapter 12

"Special Agent Hotchner, FBI. I'm looking for detective... Gordinski" Hotch said the team walked into the local police station in Chicago.

"I got this, Chuck" A bold man said walking over.

"How you guys doing? Wally Dennison, CPD" Wally introduced

"Where's Agent Morgan?" Hotch asked firmly

"Detective Gordinski's in with the suspect now" Wally explained

"I need to see him" Hotch said firmly

"When my partner's finished talking to him" Wally replied

"I have your superintendent's personal cell number, and in the interest of not running roughshod over another police agency, I've resisted calling him so far. I need to see Agent Morgan now." Hotch said firmly, hiding his anger.

"I'll get Gordinski. He's the, uh, primary" Wally said and walked off.

"I don't like them calling him a suspect" Gideon said annoyed

"Me neither" Hotch replied.

"Are you okay?" Lilith whispered to Reid and he nodded slowly.

"Detective Gordinski, CPD" Gordinski introduced as he walked over to Hotch.

"You think an FBI Agent, a BAU profiler committed a homicide?" Hotch asked

"Actually, three homicides at least, over 15 years" Gordinski explained

"You… you think he's a serial killer" JJ asked amused

"This is ridiculous" Reid called out and Lilith shushed him quickly.

"Has he been charged with anything?" Hotch asked

"I got 72 hours for that" Gordinski explained

"I'd like to see him" Hotch said firmly

"Be my guest" Gordinski said

"This way" Wally said, taking Hotch to see Morgan.

"Agent Gideon, right?" Gordinski asked

"Yes" Gideon said shaking his hand.

"I owe you a big thank you. I had no suspects at all until you looked over my case for me and sent me this profile. Everything in it points to that son of a bitch, Derek Morgan" Gordinski explained

"Careful, who you are calling bitch" Lilith growled and this time Reid had to shush her.

"I profiled him?" Gideon asked confused.

"It's all right there" Gordinski said grabbing a file.

"Detective, a profile's just a guide" Reid explained

"Yeah, this one guided me to him" Gordinski explained

"They're really more useful in the elimination of suspects rather than the inclusion" Lilith added

"That's not the way you presented it to me" Gordinski said to Gideon.

"Well, if I confused you, I'm sorry" Gideon apologized.

"I'm not confused at all" Gordinski said firmly

"Look, whatever it is in here that made you consider Agent Morgan a suspect has to be coincidence. You can't rely solely on this" Gideon said firmly

"You're right, I'm not" Gordinski replied.

"15 years ago, I was a new detective. One of my first cases was a black kid. 12 or 13 years old, found strangled in a vacant lot near here" Gordinski explained

"Boy was a John Doe, right?" Gideon explained

"Still unidentified to this day" Gordinski replied

"Wait, a 12-year-old kid that no one reported missing" Lilith asked confused

"Ever. Four years ago, another body turns up, same M O. Worked that case just as hard, came up with just as much nothing. Nobody in the area had ever seen the kid before" Gordinski continued

"No one's looking for these kids" JJ said disgusted.

"Then a few months back, I attended a seminar that you taught at CPD headquarters. I told you about my case, you said to send you the files and you'd look 'em over. This is the profile you worked up. There are about 3 million people in Chicago. Your profile said I was looking for a black male,25 to 35, with a knowledge of the area. Nonthreatening to children- either knows them or is normal enough that he doesn't scare them. A probable criminal record. It also said the way the body was placed gently on a mattress, not just tossed on the ground, indicated someone who was probably consumed with guilt, especially for the first victim. Your exact words are- "with a guilt-ridden offender, "the BAU postulates the first victim is the most important " and the unsub may still visit the place of the crime or even the victim himself. Care to guess who visits my first victim every time he's in town" Gordinski explained

"Can't be just visiting the victim. There has to be more than that." Gideon explained

"Sure. You said the unsub might try to inject himself into the investigation to keep tabs on it. Morgan has called our headquarters many times since he joined the bureau. Always about this case" Gordinski explained

"So, wait, he talked to you about it?" Reid asked

"Headquarters. He'd never call me. After I got your profile, I checked airline records. Turns out Derek had just left Chicago when the other body turned up" Gordinski explained.

"Then yesterday another kid ends up dead and the last person he was with was Derek Morgan. In the boy's pocket we found one of his FBI business cards, his cell number written on the back of it. In fact, every time Morgan's in town, he hangs out with kids." Gordinski explained

'"his is all just coincidence" JJ said frustrated

"A hell of a lot of coincidences" Gordinski replied

"It's purely circumstantial" Lilith added

"So is a fingerprint. Did I mention that Morgan found the body in 1991? Hidden way back in a vacant lot. Now, don't you teach that when a body is hard to find, the person finding it is always a suspect?" Gordinski asked

"There are key pieces of the profile that don't fit, Detective. Uh, the age,25 to 35, Morgan was 15 or so at the time" Reid explained

"Also says that age is the hardest to predict, and I should never exclude someone simply because of a discrepancy with the age" Gordinski replied

"What about the speculation that since he didn't manage to leave any evidence at the scene of the crime and he most likely has a criminal record or previous law enforcement knowledge. Derek wasn't even in the bureau yet when the first body was found" Reid continued

"He may not have had a knowledge of law enforcement, but Derek Morgan definitely had a criminal record" Gordinski explained and the team looked confused, before leaving to talk in private.

"We are dealing with a desperate detective here. Three dead boys, no evidence at all, so he applies the profile directly to someone he already suspected. It's easy to get tunnel vision that way" Gideon explained softly

"One begins to twist facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts. That's, uh, one of Sherlock Holmes's favorite quotes" Reid muttered

"We need to figure out who really killed these boys before they decide to charge Morgan" Gideon explained

"What do you want us to do?" Lilith asked

"Last victim was someone Morgan was seen with. Conveniently, Morgan was already a suspect in the other two" Gideon explained

"Someone set him up" Lilith stated

"We should consider Morgan a victim. Fallon, you and Reid talk to his family, learn about him… especially around the time of the first murder" Gideon stated

"Do we have the address?" Lilith asked

"I can take you" Wally said walking over to them.

"Oh, that's ok" Lilith said

"No actually, that's not a bad idea" Gideon said firmly

"Right Okeydokey, lead the way, Detective" Lilith said before leaving with Reid and Wally.

"According to Morgan, he's got a bad history with Gordinski" Hotch explained walking over to Gideon.

"He's got a bad history generally" Gideon explained handing Hotch a file.

"Resisting arrest, vandalism, aggravated battery. This is Morgan?" Hotch asked confused

"As a juvenile look at the dates" Gideon explained

"This isn't in his personnel file. He said he told me everything relevant" Hotch said confused

"Then he either lied or he doesn't consider this relevant" Gideon replied

"Since when is the criminal history of a suspect not relevant?" Hotch asked

"You just called him a suspect" Gideon said firmly before Hotch walked off to talk to Morgan.

"Get Garcia into Morgan's life" Gideon told JJ

"Yes, sir" She replied

….


	13. Chapter 13

"Hey, Hotch, I almost forgot There's a local banger out here, his name is Rodney Harris. He's been running these streets for a while now" Morgan said as Hotch walked back into the room.

"You have a criminal record" Hotch said firmly handing him the file.

"What? Where did you get this?" Morgan asked shocked

"What difference does that make?" Hotch asked

"Hotch... this was supposed to be expunged. My record's clean" Morgan explained

"I asked you if there was anything you hadn't told me" Hotch said annoyed

"A judge expunged this, it doesn't exist anymore, man. I was a kid, it's nothing" Morgan explained

"Aggravated battery" Hotch said simply

"I…Ok. I was with some guys, we got in a fight with some other guys. Rodney, this cat I'm trying to tell you about, it was him. We got into it a little bit, we knocked each other around, he got a couple stitches in his head so they made it aggravated. That's it" Morgan explained desperately.

"So you're saying this Rodney committed three murders because you beat him up?" Hotch asked

"No. I'm saying he's been following me around since I got here, so go talk to him and you might get something. This was expunged" Morgan yelled

"You still should've told me. You know how important accurate information is to victimology" Hotch said back

"Whoa, Victimology?" Morgan asked shocked

"It's very likely the latest victim was an attempt to set you up" Hotch explained

"Are you profiling me?" Morgan asked

"Morgan, we need to look at…" Hotch started to explain

"No. We don't need to do anything" Morgan yelled

"Derek, you're in trouble here" Hotch said worried

"Hotch, I didn't do this. I am not worried about Gordinski out there!" Morgan yelled

"You still have three dead children" Hotch replied angrily.

"Ok, ok, so you profile them. That's the case" Morgan said firmly

"Is there something else you don't want us to find out about?" Hotch asked confused

"Hotch, I don't need the people I work with going into my entire world" Morgan explained

….

"Is, uh, Derek all right?" Desiree asked worried as Lilith and Reid looked through Morgan's things.

"He wouldn't let us go down there" Fran added

"He's fine. Our boss is with him" Lilith explained

"Did he tell you Gordinski's been harassing him since he was a kid?" Sarah asked annoyed

"Why is that?" Reid asked

"You'd have to ask that bastard" Sarah explained

"Oh, Sarah" Fran said

"It's true, mom" Sarah replied

"Sure it is" Wally said sarcastically.

"What are you even doing in my mother's house?" Sarah shouted

"They asked me" Wally explained

"Not really" Reid muttered as Lilith hid her smirk.

"I don't understand how they could think he did this" Fran said emotional.

"Someone may be trying to make it look like he hurt those kids" Lilith explained

"And the police believe it?" Sarah asked

"Just following the evidence" Wally muttered and Lilith turned to Wally.

"Hey, this conversation we are having, you have no lines in it. So either stand by silently or wait outside" Lilith said firmly and Wally glared at her, but nodded.

"But he's an FBI agent" Desiree said firmly

"Actually... law enforcement officials are just as probable statistically to commit a crime as anyone else. Look at the cross-section of a society, there's a general population and a small fraction…." Reid started to state as Lilith glared at her best friend.

"He's not actually saying we believe Derek's involved in this" Lilith interrupted

"Oh, no, no, yeah, not at all. I'm merely, um- speaking theoretically" Reid explained hurriedly and embarrassed.

"You're Dr Reid, right?" Desiree asked

"Yes?" Reid said confused

"Derek talks about you" Sarah explained

"He does?" Reid asked confused

"Anyway, so... someone may be trying to make it look like this was Derek" Lilith stated

"But Derek loves kids. Every time he's here, he goes to the youth center" Fran explained

"Youth center?" Lilith asked

"The Upward Youth Center" Fran explained

"Does that have some sort of significance for him?" Reid asked

"Are you saying there's something in it for him? Other than giving back to the poor kids of your neighbourhood" Sarah snapped

"Sarah, we're friends of your brother. We're here trying to help. When we ask a question, it isn't to denigrate or demean anything he's done. We just have to know everything, so we can figure out where to look next" Lilith explained firmly

"Is there some special significance to the Youth Center?" Lilith asked

"The youth center saved his life" Fran explained

"My husband, um, their father, was killed when he tried to stop a robbery. Derek was with him, he was ten. A year or so later, he started getting into trouble" Fran explained

"What kind of trouble?" Lilith asked softly

"He started running around with older kids. They would give him money to run errands for them. Not drugs. No, Derek would never disgrace his father's name" Fran said lovingly

"But they were gangbangers. So people started looking at Derek like he was one of them" Sarah explained

"One night, he and a friend were attacked by some boys from another gang. Big fight and one of the other boy's head split open" Fran explained

"And that was the first time Gordinski arrested him. Now, he wasn't a detective yet, just a street cop, but from that night on, no matter what happened in the neighbourhood, he'd pick Derek up for it" Sarah explained

"Probably because he was involved" Wally muttered and Lilith rolled her eyes annoyed.

"The hell he was!" Sarah said firmly

"Stan's never arrested anyone who didn't need arresting" Wally argued

"He did with Derek" Sarah replied

"Until Carl Buford stepped in" Fran explained

"Carl Buford?" Reid asked

"He runs a Youth Center" Wally explained

"He took Derek under his wing, mentored him. Became like a surrogate father. He taught him football and that changed Derek's life. He got a scholarship to college, with it he got his degree" Fran explained

"Where is Carl Buford now?" Lilith asked

"He still runs the youth center" Wally explained

"I'd like to talk to him. Detective, do you think you could take me over there?" Lilith asked

"Just you?" Reid asked confused

"Yeah, I thought maybe you could stay here and keep going through this stuff" Lilith said Reid

"Good idea. Yeah, keep going through the stuff" Reid said nodding

…


	14. Chapter 14

"Would you just give me the hell out here?" Morgan sighed tiredly as Gideon walked into the room.

"That wouldn't be a good idea, would it?" Gideon said simply

"Says who?" Morgan asked

"Apparently I provided the profile that led them to arrest you" Gideon explained

"You what?" Morgan asked

"They sent the case to me a few months ago. I did a routine consult but he was looking for it to lead to you" Gideon explained

"Preconception of guilt" Morgan said sighing

"We just can't force 'em to let you go, it's not gonna look too good with the local press" Gideon explained

"Oh, like I give a damn about the press, Gideon" Morgan snapped

"Well, we cannot appear to be covering something up" Gideon explained

"You trying to say something to me right now?" Morgan asked

"Only if you're hiding something. You need to trust us. Trust us enough to tell us about it" Gideon explained

"Gideon, It's not about trust. It's about having a little privacy. I got the right to keep something to myself. Look at us, man, we practically live together already" Morgan explained

"Then the best way to clear you is...find the real unsub" Gideon said simply before leaving the room and walking over to JJ with Hotch.

"Find anything out about Morgan?" Gideon asked

"The record wasn't picked up in his background check because everything in it was expunged and the file sealed by a judge" JJ explained

"Forgiving judge" Gideon stated

"It was based on the recommendation of an upstanding member of the community who took personal responsibility for Morgan" JJ explained

"That sounds like somebody we should talk to for more background" Hotch stated

"Should be easy, he's right over there" JJ said looking over a dark skinned man standing next to Gordinski.

….

"Hello? Mr Buford" Lilith asked knocking on the door of his office.

"This guy's been honoured by everybody but the Nobel Society" Lilith said looking around at his awards.

"That's Carl Buford" Wally said simply

"Who are you?" A young teenager asked walking over to them.

"I'm with the FBI" Lilith explained

"Do you know Derek Morgan?" the boy asked

"Yeah, he's a friend of mine" Lilith said softly

"I've been trying to call him" the boy explained

"He's a little busy right now. Is there something I can do to help you?" Lilith asked

"I just... a friend of mine. Someone killed him yesterday" The boy said sadly

"Do you know something about who might have done it?" Wally asked curiously

"No. Derek's always telling me if I need somebody to talk to, about anything, I can call him. Guess, I just wanted to... I don't know" The boy said emotionally.

"I'll tell you what. Why don't you give me your name and I'll let him know that you've been trying to reach him?" Lilith asked pulling out a pen and paper.

"James Barfield" James introduced

"Does he know where to find you?" Lilith asked

"He can find me here" James stated

"Anytime?" Lilith asked

"All the time" James replied

…..

Lilith arrived back at the police station just as Carl Buford was leaving.

"You talking about Carl Buford?" Lilith asked

"Yes" Hotch said

"We just left his office" Lilith explained

"Hey. What, did we turn him loose?" Wally called out angrily.

"You let him escape?" Gordinski accused Hotch angrily

"You're standing there trying to convince me that a local hero is my killer while you let my suspect dance the back door. I'm gonna charge all of your asses" Gordinski said angrily

"You have to tell your officers that Morgan's not a threat" JJ said firmly

"Like hell I will" Gordinski snapped

"But this…" JJ started to say

"Lady, as far as I'm concerned, he is a threat, ok?" Gordinski yelled

"They're beyond reason. We have to find him first" JJ said walking back to the team. Reid was now with them.

"Any ideas?" Gideon asked

"His mother said that Buford practically raised him after his father died, he mentored him, took him on trips, spent all of his time with him. Basically became a surrogate father" Lilith explained

"Hotch, Gideon. Can we talk in private for moment?" Lilith asked and they looked confused.

"If this is about Morgan… tell us" JJ said angrily but not at Lilith, at the situation.

"I think I know what Morgan was hiding from you" Lilith said simply and looked at Hotch.

"I talked to the boy at the Youth Center. I recognize the signs, and the way he reacted when he mentioned Buford, only further confirms my hunch" Lilith said and Hotch sighed annoyed.

"Detective, we may know where he's heading" Hotch said to Gordinski.

…..


	15. Chapter 15

"Looking good there, kid" Morgan said as he watched James play in the Youth Centre yard.

"I was trying to call you" James said bitterly

"I'm here now" Morgan said simply

"Someone killed Damien" James said sadly

"I know. James, we need to talk about Carl Buford" Morgan said simply

"What about him?" James asked

"You're a star player, right? Center of attention" Morgan asked

"Yeah, I guess" James said with a shrug.

"You know, I used to be that guy" Morgan said

"Yeah, I know" James said

"It's a lot of pressure, isn't it? Always wanna make 'em happy. Impress 'em" Morgan said

"I can handle it" James replied

"Oh, I'm sure you can, kid. Does he ever take you to his cabin?" Morgan asked softly

"What?" James whispered

"Fishing in Wisconsin, camping. Do things you wish you had a real father for?" Morgan asked

"Sometimes" James whispered

"Yeah, he's good like that" Morgan muttered

"You know about the cabin?" James asked

"James, I told you, I used to be you" Morgan replied

"What do you mean?" James asked curiously

"The first time you weren't even sure what was going on. He brushed up against you. You thought it might have just been an accident. But then at the cabin, he let you sit and drink with him, you thought it was kind of cool. Made you feel grown up. He gave you a glass of wine. Maybe a little shot of something harder? and then he took you swimming, only he told you to jump in without your swimsuit on. He did things to you, James, didn't he? He did 'em to me, too. You do whatever you think you gotta do to keep him happy because he's the closest thing to a father you got but what he's doing to you is wrong and you don't have to let it continue, man" Morgan explained

"Yeah, I do. My oldest brother's in jail, my sister was paralyzed in a drive-by, she's eight years old. I'm all my mom's got left. I gotta get us outta here. Carl's gonna make sure I get into college then I can make something of myself" James snapped

"James, you are something, man. You're something right here, right now, without Carl Buford. You just gotta believe that. Where's carl right now, huh? Look at you, man You're out here in the dark running pass routes. That's you. That ain't got nothing to do with Carl. What you got inside of here, that's what's gonna get you off these streets?" Morgan explained emotionally

"You never told" James replied

"Not until right now" Morgan explained

"Damien always said I should call you" James whispered

"What? Damien knew?" Morgan asked

"I didn't think you'd believe me" James admitted

"James... I got your back. Forever" Morgan promised.

….

The team and Gordinski and Wally moved silently through the Youth Center until they saw Morgan and Carl.

"Carl" Morgan said walking into his office.

"You've been let go" Carl said

"Looks that way" Morgan replied

"I told 'em it was crazy, thinking you were involved in any killing" Carl explained

"Really? Gordinski said you're the one who told 'em I drove Damien home" Morgan explained

"Was that supposed to be a secret?" Carl asked

"No, that wasn't" Morgan said firmly

"I don't follow" Carl said faking confusion.

"All these years, I kept my mouth shut. I let you go on being a hero. Carl Buford, my mentor" Morgan spat disgusted.

"What are you talking about?" Carl asked confused

"God, I was so afraid of you. I was afraid of the police, afraid of losing everything I was gaining. But that's how you work, isn't it? You make sure there's a hell of a lot to lose, don't you?" Morgan asked

"I don't know what you think you remember" Carl said

"No, no, no, See, it's not what I remember that's gonna hurt you, Carl. Our business is over way too long ago to matter. You're protected by a statute of limitations and that's my fault" Morgan explained

"Then good night" Carl said simply

"You set me up. You knew Damien Walters wanted James to call me about you. So you killed him. You killed him because you knew I'd come after you, didn't you?" Morgan asked

"Now you're just talking crazy" Carl said

"God, I should have told somebody about you when I was a kid, when you were helping me. Well, you know what happens in cases like this. Once that dam breaks, the flood comes one kid steps up, just one and then another one, and another because they're not scared of you anymore. They know they're not alone. James Barfield is your dam" Morgan explained

"Whatever lies James told you..." Carl yelled

"They're not lies. You did the same thing to me!" Morgan shouted

"I did nothing to you, to James!" Carl yelled

"One by one, they're gonna pile up until there's so many accusations. You can't say that they're all lies" Morgan explained

"Do you have any idea how many kids I've helped get out of this neighbourhood? How many lives I've provided? Look at you, you'd probably be dead by now" Carl mocked

"Yeah, well, it wasn't for free, was it?" Morgan said, tears dripping down his cheeks.

"I pulled you out of the gutter" Carl said simply.

"I pulled myself out of the gutter, all the way to the FBI. I did that" Morgan yelled

"You saying I had nothing to do with making you who you are?" Carl mocked

"No, Carl. Actually I'm saying you have everything to do with making me who I am because of you I'm somebody who gets to spend the rest of this life making sure guys like you go down" Morgan explained

"Look, Derek. I never hurt you. You could have said no" Carl said softly

"You're under arrest, Carl" Gordinski said as they appeared from the hiding places.

"I've helped a lot of kids" Carl said

"Let's go" Gordinski said

"The neighbourhood won't be the same without me. It's gonna be worse without the center" Carl said

"Somebody'll keep this center running. The neighbourhood will. I will" Morgan said firmly

"Wait. Wait. Derek... isn't there something you can do for me?" Carl begged

"You go to hell" Morgan said simply.

….

"Uh… Lilith… Hotch said it was you that figured out what was going on and made sure Gordinski let me get the confession" Morgan said walking over to Lilith after Damien's funeral.

"Yeah" Lilith said softly

"How did you know?" Morgan asked and Lilith looked at him and smiled sadly.

"I talked to James and recognised the signs, your reaction to Carl's name only confirmed it for me" Lilith explained

"But howdid _you_ recognise the signs?" Morgan asked pushing for information

"Did you know I was supposed to join the BAU when Reid did?" Lilith asked suddenly and Morgan shook his head confused.

"Why didn't you?" Morgan asked

"I had the grades and the skill… but they were worried about my psych eval" Lilith explained

"Something happened in your childhood, that might have inhibited you from working in our line of work" Morgan said and Lilith nodded.

…


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 4 – No Way Out (1)**

"Mind if I sit here?" Gideon asked as him and Morgan walked into a café.

"Please" Frank said simply

"You should try Fat Sam's milk shakes" Frank said

"Cold and tired" Gideon replied

"You're also not from around here" Frank said simply

"Where are you from?" Gideon asked

"You really should try the shakes. What's your name? Come on. Names are a hobby of mine" Frank asked

"Jason Gideon" Gideon replied as Morgan looked on.

"Jason. From Greek Mythology. To heal. Gideon. A hero from the old testament who led the Israelites against the Midianites. Your parents had great ambitions for you" Frank explained

"I'm Frank. Germanic. Third century. Derived from the name of a type of spear. I wonder what aspirations my parents had for me" Frank continued

"Why don't we cut the crap, Frank? Where is she?" Morgan snapped

"Now, that's direct" Frank said sarcastically

"You're right. I'm not from around here. I'm an FBI Agent" Gideon explained showing his badge.

"The BAU? You didn't disappoint your parents: Frank said amused

"We're looking for a man in his mid-to late-fifties. Listens to Beethoven, wears a corduroy jacket with fleece-lined collar. He's left-handed. In his right inside jacket pocket will be a notebook, and it will give the extensive detailed accounts of the torture inflicted on every one of his victims" Gideon explained as Morgan shoved him back into his seat and checked his pocket to find the book.

"That's quite a magic trick" Frank said amused

"No magic trick, Frank. Just a profile of a sadistic serial killer. Gideon, this thing is brand-new. There's only two entries in it: "Black male, 220 pounds, portly; white female, early twenties." This doesn't prove anything" Morgan explained after opening the book.

"Guess what. When I'm finished with my shake, you'll get what you're here for, but then... I'm going to get up... and I'm going to walk out of here... and you... and your lapdog... are going to let me" Frank stated confidently.

"You know what, Frank? That would be a magic trick" Gideon replied as he looked out the window to reveal the café shop surrounded by police and FBI cars.

"He's looked at that clock 3 times in as many minutes. He's waiting for something" Morgan stated

"If I had your looks... do you know how much easier my life would be?" Frank asked Morgan amused

"If you think you're gonna negotiate you way out of this one, you got a whole nother thing coming" Morgan said firmly

"Want to know how we caught you?" Gideon asked

"Please" Frank said simply

"Gideon, those men out there want to kill this guy. We're in the middle. We don't have time for explanations" Morgan said firmly

"You have the time it will take me to finish this shake" Frank replied

"That's all I need. We got a request from Sheriff Georgia Davis…" Gideon explained

…

 _One Day Earlier…_

" _1996\. The ribcage of a male was found in the desert rose national park. It was never identified. This morning, the remains of two victims were found in almost exactly the same area" JJ explained as the team sat together in the conference room._

" _Well, one year later is cause for concern, but 10 years? That could be a coincidence" Lilith stated_

" _It would be... if the unidentified male wasn't missing a right rib bone" Reid explained leaning over Lilith's shoulder and placing a file in front of her._

" _And the torso found this morning is missing exactly the same bone" Hotch added_

" _Both of them seem to be surgically removed, and the advanced rate of decomposition on the male means that he died far before the female" Reid explained_

" _Oh, Katherine hale. They found a bracelet on her wrist. She ran away about two weeks ago from her small Colorado town" JJ explained_

" _Unsub's crossing state lines. He's mobile" Hotch explained a Gideon walked into the room, carrying a box of files._

" _If the remains are related to the same killer, where's he been for 10 years?" Morgan asked_

" _Killing. Unsolved case files going back 30 years. Every case, the victimology is the same. The unwanted. This box is just the tip of the iceberg. 13 cases spanning 30 years. Same M.O. Right rib bone is missing. It's him, Hotch. It's the same killer" Gideon said firmly_

" _All the remains were dumped in remote areas and always near interstate 80. And up till now, no remains this intact or this close to the actual time of kill have been found" Hotch explained_

" _Never two victims dumped at the same time in the same place" Gideon added_

" _All of these killings the work of just one man?" Lilith asked shocked, looking at the files in front of her._

" _The most prolific serial killer ever" Gideon said seriously._

… _._

"Wow. You truly think..." Frank said amused

"I know it. Which is why we came here... to Nevada" Gideon said firmly

…..

" _George! They're here" A male called out to a woman as Gideon, Hotch and Morgan arrived at the crime scene._

" _That deputy drove 60 miles just to barf" The woman commented as a police officer took one look at the body and threw up._

" _No good reason to be here, not even from this department. What is it about death that fascinates us?" The woman asked_

" _He didn't contaminate the scene, did he?" Gideon asked_

" _No, uh... Sheriff Georgia Davis. People call me George. This is deputy Rick Silo" George introduced_

" _Aaron Hotchner. This is Derek Morgan, and the guy who sometimes forgets his manners is Jason Gideon" Hotch introduced shaking both the woman and man's hands._

" _Stood here 10 years ago, this exact spot. Same feeling, I have now" George said softly_

" _Which is what?" Morgan asked_

" _Someone in my town might be responsible for it. Hope you tell me I'm wrong" George said before her phone started ringing._

" _Oh, my cell. That's my husband. That's our song. Excuse me" George said walking off._

" _Lucky we found anything. Been a recent spike in the coyote population" Silo explained_

" _Maybe that's why the unsub dumps the bodies here" Morgan explained_

" _You people really think we have a serial killer in our town?" Silo asked_

" _At least one that passes through from time to time" Morgan explained_

… _._

 _While they were at the crime scene, Lilith and Reid went to the local police station._

" _Is it just me, or do you get the feeling that we're not welcome here" Reid said_

" _Oh, it's not us. It's what we represent. Government's not all that popular out here" Lilith explained as they walked through the police station just as a local was dragging a screaming lady out of the cell._

" _No! No, you can't make me go! I know what my rights are! No, don't make me go! No, I don't want to go home! I know my rights!" She screamed at the officer._

" _Come on!" The officer said dragging her_

" _What are you looking at, princess?!" She screamed at Lilith, who looked at Reid and shrugged._

" _Ok, ok! If that's the way you want it, Jane, back to jail" The officer said and turned them around to go back to the cell._

" _Ok, ok, ok. Ok, ok, ok" Jane said before escaping and grabbing onto Reid._

" _He's coming. He's coming back, and there's nothing you can do about it! Do you hear me?! Nothing, nothing!" Jane screamed as the local pulled Jane off Reid and dragged her away. Lilith noticed she dropped something._

" _Excuse me. She dropped this" Lilith said grabbing it. The officer looked at it warily._

" _It's harmless" Lilith said simply and Jane grabbed it._

" _Thank you" Jane said softly_

" _What is it?" Lilith asked before Jane started blowing into it._

" _A psycho with a whistle. That's not too weird" Reid said sarcastically and Lilith laughed._

… _._


	17. Chapter 17

" _Looks like prison gang tattoos" Morgan commented as they looked at the torso._

" _This unsub has extensive anatomic anomalies" Hotch stated_

" _Well, the pen marks are a guideline for a surgeon's knife. That's for sure" Morgan added_

" _Did he cauterize the main arteries?" Gideon called out_

" _Yeah, all of them" Hotch yelled back_

" _What do you mean?" Silo asked_

" _He cauterized the arteries by burning them" Morgan explained_

" _Why?" Silo asked_

" _It stops the blood flow" Morgan explained_

" _The victims were alive when he cut off their limbs" Hotch added as Morgan took photos of the remains._

" _Garcia's gonna love this" Morgan muttered sarcastically as he sent the photos to her._

" _Oh, this is so not a way to a girl's heart" Garcia moaned as she looked at the photos_

" _What are you doing?" Garcia asked JJ as she pinned up a map on her office wall._

" _I'm mapping out where all the victims were found... starting with Gideon's first case file" JJ explained_

" _Ow! Stabby"' Garcia said pouting and JJ just shrugged._

" _Ok, so Katherine Hale...was last seen here in Salt Lake City, Utah, and then found right here in Golconda, Nevada" JJ explained putting pins in the map._

" _Ahh. Well, the tattoo is from a prison gang. It was photographed and logged in San Quentin. This one belongs to Reno Rodriguez, 42. Jumped bail 7 months ago, picked up by cops in Salt Lake City 5 weeks ago" Garcia explained_

" _Ok, so say he was abducted somewhere close to where he was last seen. Next was Katherine Hale. It appears this unsub is traveling from east to west towards Golconda. If he lives there, where's he coming from?" JJ asked_

…

" _The only these two victims have in common is they were killed by the same unsub" Morgan said walking with Gideon and Hotch._

" _There is another connection" Gideon explained_

" _The inter-state. High 80" Hotch stated_

… _.._

"Excuse me, miss?" Morgan asked the waitress as he was moving the civilians out of the café.

"Yeah?" She asked

"You ever seen that man before?" Morgan asked

"Over the years, yeah. He never eats. He just orders a strawberry milk shake" The Waitress explained

"Thank you" Morgan said kindly

"Sure" She replied before leaving the rest of the customers and workers.

"You were saying?" Frank asked

"The story involves wind chimes, trailers, alien abductions" Gideon explained

"Gripping" Frank joked

"I thought I'd seen the very worst of what humanity had to offer until you" Gideon stated

"Can I ask you something?" Frank asked

"Please" Gideon said simply

"Do you think me insane?" Frank asked

"Do not play me. You know exactly what you are, a psychopathic sexual sadist. You get off on the brutal torture of others" Gideon stated angrily

"And you knew the moment we arrived in this town you had no way out" Morgan explained

"Which is why you took her" Gideon added

"Who's playing who now?" Frank asked amused

"You don't care about her. You only ever cared about catching me. It isn't the victims that drives you, Jason. It's the hunt" Frank explained

"Look out that window, Frank. Hunt's over" Morgan said

"You aren't denying it" Frank said to Gideon ignoring Morgan.

"Men, women, young, old. Didn't matter to you. You took them all. From San Francisco's Muir Woods to the hills of the Poconos... you took them all" Gideon explained

…

" _Early doxological investigations of the victim's blood indicated high levels of ketamine" Reid explained as he grabbed a file he printed off and handed it to Hotch at the local police station._

" _Ketamine is primarily a horse tranquilizer. It's also used as a date-rape drug. In street lingo, it's known as being stuck in a k-hole" Hotch explained to the local police._

" _So his victims were completely conscious when he killed them?" George asked_

" _Imagine what she must have gone through" George muttered_

" _It's essential for this unsub that he sees the terror in his victim's eyes. That is what gets him off" Lilith said to the police._

" _He's either had medical training, or he's honed his skills over the years" Hotch explained_

" _Look for a man in his mid- to late-fifties, highly intelligent, methodically and obsessively clean" Gideon added_

" _His vehicle is most likely an RV, muted in color, neither old nor new, in perfect working order" Lilith said_

" _It will have a CB, radar detectors, and police-band radio. All these things have helped him evade you" Morgan added_

" _And this vehicle is his killing room. It'll be soundproofed. Surgical instruments are on the walls. There's a stirrup chair or an autopsy table in it" Hotch finished_

" _All of his kills are recorded... if not on video, in a journal that he carries with him in his right-hand inside jacket pocket" Gideon explained_

" _How could you know that?" Silo asked_

" _Tool marks on the remains indicate that he's left-handed" Lilith explained_

" _This man is void of all normal human feelings. A killing machine... incapable of remorse, compassion, love" Gideon said firmly_

...

"What's the matter, Frank?" Morgan asked as Frank scoffed

"Something I said?" Gideon asked calmly

"Got him all worked up, Gideon" Morgan mocked

"Beauty... can cover a multitude of sins, but underneath... we all look... exactly the same" Frank explained

"I know what gets you off... fear... seeing it and feeling it. Well, look out that window, Frank. You are not leaving this diner" Morgan said firmly

"I don't want to. Not until the story is done" Frank explained turning back to Gideon.

…..

" _We have roadblocks on every interstate, track or laned in or out of this town. We'll shut down this state if we have to" Silo said to his men at the police station._

" _Stop every RV, truck, and trailer" Hotch added_

" _Something troubling you?" Gideon asked George, who was sitting silently._

" _That profile you gave; it reminds me of a story I once heard. There's someone you should meet" George explained. Lilith, Reid and Gideon followed George to the cell, where the crazy whistle lady from earlier was sitting._

" _How you feeling, Jane?" George asked softly_

" _I don't want to go home, George. Please don't make me go home" Jane begged_

" _Jane... these people are from the FBI. I'd like you to tell them your story" George said softly._

" _Why, so they can make fun of me, too?" Jane muttered_

 _Lilith stepped forward and knelt next to Jane, who playing with the whistle._

" _It's very pretty. Did you make it?" Lilith asked as she sat down next to her._

" _It was a gift" Jane explained handing it to Lilith._

" _Oh. What happened to you?" Lilith asked softly_

" _My car broke down. The engine went out on me and... you know, in those days, they didn't have cell phones, so I tried to fix it myself. And then I felt a presence. And then everything went white. I was in a spaceship. And I could see myself. It was like time was suspended. I could feel everything, and there were strange maps on the walls... diagrams of all the stars. I was cold. It was very, very cold. And the alien, he did things to me. He touched me... very softly, and he stroked my hair, and he drew lines all over my body, and the whole time, he was standing there smiling down on me. And then I looked into his eyes... and I wasn't afraid anymore. I don't know why" Jane explained_

" _Then what did he do?" Gideon asked softly_

" _And then I... was back in my own bed, and it was the next morning" Jane explained_

" _How long ago did this happen?" Lilith asked_

" _I was 19. It was 30 years ago" Jane said smiling_

" _And did you ever see him again?" Lilith asked curiously_

" _Oh, I see him. I see him every time I shut my eyes" Jane said softly_

" _The strange maps on the walls could have been anatomical drawings" Reid said as they left the cell._

" _What about the fact that she could see herself?" George asked_

" _A mirrored ceiling" Gideon stated_

" _So his victims could see themselves being dismembered" Lilith explained_

" _Every time I think it can't get any worse, it does" George said disgusted._

" _Her subconscious mind has created a delusion that she was abducted by an alien" Gideon explained_

" _It's possible she's the only one who's survived" Lilith added_

" _Why did he let her go?" George asked_

" _She said when she looked into his eyes, she felt relaxed" Lilith explained_

" _And in that moment, the one thing that he wanted... she didn't give him" Gideon explained_

" _Fear" Lilith added_

…


	18. Chapter 18

"I read about a woman whose body was found in her apartment... upper east side, I think" Frank said

"If this is a confession, start with the woman you just took" Morgan said firmly

"She had killed herself. But her body wasn't found for more than a year. Surround by over a million people, and not one of them missed her. What does that say about society?" Frank asked

"Fills me with profound sadness... but it doesn't make you feel anything. Those that society does not care for... the throwaways, the runaways, destitute, disenfranchised, the forgotten... are the very people you target. But not last night. Something changed. You took a person of prominence, someone that mattered to everyone. Why?" Gideon asked

"That's the interesting question, Jason. Why?" Frank asked amused

"Mark, don't do it!" Silo shouted from the outside as a male with a gun stormed towards the café.

"Back off, Silo!" Mark shouted

"Gideon!" Morgan said and they stood up quickly as the male walked in with a gun pointed at Frank.

"Sir, do not come any closer!" Morgan said pointing his gun at Mark.

"That man has my wife" Mark said emotionally.

"Please put the gun down" Morgan said

"Tell me where my wife is, or so help me, I will shoot you" Mark yelled

"Sir, I said put the gun down now!" Morgan yelled loudly

"Where's my wife?!" Mark shouted

"Sir, we are trying to find your wife!" Morgan yelled

"Tell me where she is, you, son of a bitch!" Mark yelled before Frank picked up a bag and put it on the counter.

"But you know what's an even more interesting question? What's the psychopath got in the bag, Jason?" Frank asked mockingly

"Open it" Mark said

"Put it down!" Morgan yelled

"Open the bag!" Mark yelled back

"Hand over your gun. I'll open it" Gideon said firmly and Mark put the gun down and gave it to Morgan.

"I'll kill you. I will kill you" Mark threatened Frank as Gideon slowly opened the bag to reveal a man's head.

"It's not her. Oh, thank god" Mark said sighing in relief.

"Who is this?" Gideon asked softly

"I believe the correct question would be: "Who was this?"" Frank joked

"You are one crazy son of a bitch!" Mark yelled

"We are all sons of bitches" Frank said simply

"Outside. Outside, please. Let us deal with him. Let us try to find her" Morgan said finally succeeding in getting Mark out of the café.

"Who is this, Frank?" Gideon asked

"He's irrelevant beyond being my ticket out of here" Frank explained

"Your ticket out of here? Even if you think you can get out of that booth and pass us, I promise you those men out there will tear you to pieces" Morgan threatened

"I rather doubt that. Finish the story, Jason" Frank said calmly

…

" _We set up a nationwide tip line, but all we've really got so far is white male, mid- to late-fifties, tall, with a medium build"' Hotch explained to Silo and George as they arrived at the trailer park where all the caravans were parked and waiting inspection._

" _From the remains discovered this morning, we know he doesn't keep his victims long" Gideon explained_

" _We've got more cops arriving by the hour to help find this guy. We also put out a nationwide A.P.B" George explained_

" _If he is still in this town, and we believe he is, he has absolutely no way out" Morgan explained_

" _What are we waiting for? Let's go catch this S.O.B" Silo said firmly as they all dispersed into teams._

 _Lilith and Reid walked around together, asking people the usual questions._

" _So, are you still coming over when we get home?" Reid asked Lilith as they walked around the carpark._

" _Yeah, of course, you still got to teach me how you beat me in chess the last time we played" Lilith said back_

" _So how do you think this unsub has been getting away with murder for so long?" Lilith asked Reid_

" _To get away with murder, you simply don't tell anyone" Reid explained_

" _And the only people he told were the people he killed, and then he took from them what he needed... cash, credit cards" Lilith added_

" _I'm gonna call Garcia and see if anything Katherine Hale owned was used after her death" Reid said picking up his phone._

" _And then he moved on to his next victim..." Lilith muttered_

…

" _...till he reached Golconda. And for some reason, emptied his vehicle before driving in... where he dumps his first two victims in the exact same spot" JJ said to Garcia back at the BAU._

" _You know... it's almost like he's purging his vehicle before he drives into town" Garcia said_

" _Yeah, I don't know. It almost seems like the unsub is always traveling from east to west, passing through every state the same month every year" JJ said before calling Hotch._

" _The remains that were discovered 10 years ago was the same month as this, right?" Hotch asked_

" _Right, and then for a week after that, the trail goes dead" JJ explained_

" _Yeah, it's like he takes a vacation in Golconda" Hotch added_

" _So where is his RV?" George asked as Reid and Lilith ran over to them._

" _Maybe he's not using an RV. Maybe he's towing a trailer" Reid said stopping_

" _That way he could unhook and move about freely" Lilith added_

" _He could also hide it. That's why we can't find him" Reid continued_

" _He's waiting for the roadblocks too clear. Ok, if he has a truck, it's gonna be just like his trailer... muted in color and American-made" Lilith explained_

" _I think the unsub's in town somewhere" Reid finished_

" _We have to get back into town and search garages, warehouses, any place someone could hide a large trailer" Gideon said_

" _Like you said, he never takes victims when he's here. So if he's not going anywhere and he hasn't got anyone, we can wait till the morning" George said_

" _Wait? We can't wait" Gideon said firmly_

" _The men are tired, I'm tired. We got roadblocks on every road" George explained_

" _Gideon, she's right" Hotch said_

" _We could wait tilt first light, Gideon" Morgan added_

" _Do what you like. I'm gonna find him" Gideon snapped and walked off._

" _It's gonna be a long night" Morgan muttered and followed Gideon with Reid and Lilith._

" _I'm sorry. I got to relieve my men and get back to the office" George apologised_

" _I understand. I'll talk to him" Hotch said_

… _._

" _Hey, Garcia..." JJ said walking into the office._

" _aah!" Garcia screamed as she was napping._

" _I like knocking" Garcia said to JJ annoyed_

" _Oh, well, I have been going over the tip line for hours going over all the calls, and I think I found something. An anonymous caller claimed they saw a RV that matched the description of the one we gave to the media... leaving Golconda" JJ explained as Garcia looked for her glasses._

" _Thank you" Garcia said as JJ handed her glasses to her._

" _Yeah?" Garcia asked confused_

" _Firstly, not a single RV or trailer has passed through any of the roadblocks... I checked" JJ explained_

" _Secondly?" Garcia asked_

" _Why call anonymously? I need you to trace this number. It's 303-555-0126" JJ said as Garcia started to type._

" _It's a cell phone... belonging to..." Garcia said_

" _Katherine Hale?" JJ asked confused_

" _It's from Golconda" Garcia confirmed_

" _This guy, he could have just kept on going. We may have never caught him" JJ said confused_

" _With all this heat on him, whatever is keeping him in that town must be freaky special" Garcia added_

…..

"He keeps checking that clock because whatever it is he came for is coming here to this diner" Gideon explained

"Ok, then we need to figure out what we missed, Gideon" Morgan said firmly

"And soon. I'm almost finished" Frank said

…..


	19. Chapter 19

" _It's clear" Morgan yelled out as the team and Silo moved silently through George's apartment._

" _All clear" Silo said, bending down to see the spilt juice._

" _Silo, silo, don't touch anything. We need to profile this room" Morgan said_

" _Profile?! You said the call was made 5 hours ago by the unsub right outside this house! Now what's the profile?! He took George!" Silo yelled_

" _Why?" Gideon asked softly_

" _All right, we need to work fast" Hotch said_

" _All right, she enters the house, and then it's habitual" Morgan said simply_

" _Ok, she drops her keys, hits the answering machine, takes off her gun belt" Lilith added_

" _Then moves throughout the kitchen" Morgan said_

" _He's never taken anyone of prominence. Why take the sheriff?" Gideon asked_

" _And not her gun. Silo, call your office. See if she was planning to meet anyone" Hotch told Silo._

" _No way a cop would take chase without their gun. Definitely looks like she tried to make a go for it" Morgan said_

" _But she didn't make it" Reid said picking up a needle._

" _Guys... George brought crazy Jane home with her" Silo said walking back into the room._

" _So, he takes control of George, then goes after what he came here for" Morgan said_

" _Crazy Jane" Lilith stated_

" _Those footprints, they got to be Jane's. They go to the back. She escapes. The unsub knows the ketamine's gonna wear off, so he's got to act" Morgan said_

" _No. He hasn't got what he came here for" Gideon said_

" _So for leverage, he takes the sheriff, which means sooner or later, he'll contact us" Hotch said firmly_

…

" _It turned back on! It just... JJ, the cell phone, it turned back on!" Garcia shouted as she woke up JJ, who was sleeping on her desk._

" _What?" JJ asked confused_

" _Katherine Hale's cell phone, it turned back on" Garcia said as JJ called Hotch._

" _Katherine Hale's cell phone just came back on in the middle of town" Hotch said_

" _Let's do this" Silo said angrily_

" _He thinks we have Jane" Gideon said walking from the room._

" _Which means he wants a trade" Morgan added_

" _Whatever he wants, we need to find Jane and the Sheriff fast. You go to town; we'll go to Jane's" Hotch said as they left the house._

… _._

" _Ok, listen up! He should be driving a truck or SUV muted in color... black, dark brown" Morgan shouted in the car park._

" _Or blue!" Gideon added_

" _Come look at this!" Silo shouted out and Morgan and Gideon ran over to him._

" _Like you boys said, he'll have a CB, police-band radio, and radar detector" Silo said as they walked over to a car that fit the description perfectly, with a mobile phone sitting in the front seat._

" _Hotch better find Jane, and fast" Gideon said firmly_

" _He's waiting for us" Gideon added_

" _Well, let's go get that bastard" Silo said angrily_

" _No, we still don't have the Sheriff" Gideon said_

" _Well, when I get a hold of him, we will" Silo threatened_

" _Hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute! He's smart. We got to be smarter. He turned that cell phone on because by now, he knows we're onto him" Morgan explained_

" _Well, you boys have just 15 minutes, then we're coming in" Silo said firmly_

" _15 minutes. That's all I need" Gideon said walking into the Café with Morgan following him._

" _Mind if I sit here?" Gideon asked walking over to Frank._

" _Please" Frank said simply_

…

Hotch, Lilith and Reid pulled up at Jane's house and walked up to the front door.

"Guys! These wind chimes are made of bone! I think it's human rib bones" Lilith said as they looked at the wind chimes. They kicked down the door and moved through it, to discover it was empty.

"Completely empty. She's not here" Hotch said as Reid and Lilith started pulling down the chimes as evidence.

"Well, he's obviously been here before and left these gifts for her" Reid commented

"How romantic" Lilith said sarcastically.

"His version of romance" Hotch stated

"What... are you trying to say you think he keeps coming back here because he's in love with her?" Lilith asked

"That's impossible. A sexual sadist can't feel love" Reid explained

"Well, define love" Hotch said

"Chemically, it involves surging brain elements called monoamines, dopamine's, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Love chemicals controlled by phenethylamine, also found in..." Reid said

"Chocolate. I love chocolate" Lilith interrupted

"Peas, too! It's also found in peas!" Reid said excitedly

"Peas?" Lilith asked confused

"Reid?" Hotch asked

"Indeed, some veritable..." Reid started to say

"Reid, stop" Hotch said before Lilith glared at him.

"Please" Hotch added

"Spread out, everybody. Keep looking" Hotch called out before Hotch saw a barn.

"FBI!" Hotch shouted as they walked through the barn and found a van, hidden. Reid opened the door as Hotch and Lilith moved in.

"Clear" Hotch said as Reid came in. The van was decorated with bloody tools and a table that was stained red with blood and also had fresh blood on it. Reid looked as shocked as Lilith and Hotch remained emotionless.

"I thought I'd seen everything" Hotch muttered

"Guys" Hotch said as he looked down

"What is it?" Reid asked

"It's a coffin" Hotch said as he bent down and opened it to reveal a dead woman.

"Hotch, there's another coffin over here" Lilith said as Hotch and Reid walked over and opened it to reveal George, alive.

"It's ok. Don't try to speak. We've got you" Hotch said picking up George.

….


	20. Chapter 20

"One is perfection. Two is decadent" Frank said as he finished his milkshake and went to move.

"You take another step, and I will shoot you" Morgan said

"No, you won't" Frank said calmly as Gideon stepped forward.

"Is that Jane said to you? She looked into your eyes. That wouldn't have been enough. She said something. What? It's important" Gideon asked

"I'm a sexual sadist. I can't feel anything. Remember? You said so" Frank said amused but bitterly

"Yeah, Hotch?" Morgan said picking up his phone.

"There are no absolutes when it comes to the human mind" Gideon replied

"They just found his trailer, the remains of another woman and the Sheriff, alive" Morgan explained

"He doesn't care about the sheriff. To walk out of here with Jane, he'd need more than that" Gideon said

"Jane said... how beautiful my eyes were. I looked at her like I've never looked at a woman before. My hands began to sweat. I dropped the knife. I tried to pick it up, but... it fell again. I got butterflies in my stomach. Isn't that love?" Frank asked

"I'm going in" Silo shouted from outside.

"Gideon!" Morgan said as Silo barged in

"Found George. She's alive. Get on the floor!" Silo shouted before all of the local cop's pagers started to go off.

"What?! No. That's impossible" Silo said shocked

"Magic time" Frank said smiling

"You have the town's children" Gideon said

"Just the little ones. You profiled me, Jason. You know I have no interest in harming children" Frank said

"We will find them. We have helicopters, dogs..." Morgan started to say

"The desert is over 25,000 square miles" Frank said amused

"You shut up!" Silo said

"And what with the rising coyote population..." Frank added

"If it's Jane you're after, we don't have her" Morgan said

"Yes, you do" Frank said simply as they heard police sirens outside and a cop car pulled up with Jane.

"Sir, I found her walking the streets" The cop said

"Jane, he's been coming back to this town for years to see you" Hotch said

"All those years, why?" Jane asked

"He says he's in love with you" Hotch explained

"He's in love with me? Why?!" Jane asked again

"That's what he says" Hotch explained

"He hides out in your old barn, and he watches you, and when he leaves, he leaves these wind chimes as gifts" Lilith explained holding up the bone.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Jane asked

"They're not beautiful. They are the remains of people he took, tortured, and killed. He is not an alien. You were abducted by a serial killer" Lilith explained

"But he did come for me, didn't he? Not George! He came for me, didn't he?" Jane asked

"That's what he says" Hotch said

"You told me to run, but I didn't want to run. I wanted to see him again, to see his eyes and see his face. And I don't know... somehow it just felt like I was coming home" Jane said George.

"Jane!" Frank said as Gideon and Morgan brought him out of the café. Jane went to move towards him but George and Lilith stopped her.

"He has the children, Jane!" George cried

"He has our children" Silo repeated

"And we will find them" Morgan said firmly

"And if we don't, they'll die of exposure! He hasn't got Tommy, George, but what if he did? Hand him over" Silo said firmly

"Silo" George said

"What choice do we have?" Silo asked

"Not this one!" George argued

"Tell them, Jason. Tell them I'm not interested in harming children. You've studied me for years. Have I ever once harmed a child? It does nothing for me. Give me Jane... and they'll have their children back" Frank said firmly

"Is she part of this with you?" Silo asked

"Look at her, Rick. She's not a part of anything. She's as much his victim as you are" George explained

"With Jane in my life, I will never harm another human being" Frank said which made Jane want to go towards him but they stopped her.

"Leave her alone!" Frank growled and Silo ran at him but Morgan stopped him.

"Hey! Don't even think about it" Morgan said

"No matter what you do to him, he will never give you what you want" Gideon said to Silo.

"They found me, Rick, they'll find the children. Trust me" George said

"Take me with you, Frank. Just you and me" Gideon said

"And my Jane?" Frank asked

"You'll take me to where the kids are?" Gideon asked

"Happily. I couldn't have that on my conscience" Frank said and Gideon nodded.

"I will take a vehicle of my choice. Jason will drive. Once I'm satisfied no one is following, I will take Jason to where I have the children. He will then call. If anyone follows, the story will end in tears" Frank explained firmly

…..

"I've been coming to see you for so many years to... to try and make sense of what I feel. Jason says I'm incapable of feeling anything, but here I am. And I feel" Frank said to Jane in the back of the car.

"Where will we go?" Jane asked

"Wherever we want" Frank said before turning to Gideon.

"Stop the car" Frank ordered and Gideon complied.

"What he's feeling right now will pass, and when it does, like all the others... he'll take your life, and then he will really feel" Gideon said to Jane as they got out of the car.

"I don't believe he will. I don't believe you know what this feels like" Jane said

"If you did, you would not be here. You'd be with the one you love" Frank added

"Where are the children?" Gideon asked

"That way. Two miles" Frank said

"No deal" Gideon said firmly

"So you're just going to stand here with me while the children suffer exposure to the elements? It's gonna be dark real soon. You are not the hero your parents thought you'd be" Frank taunted

"I will never stop hunting you. Not ever" Gideon said angrily

"Then I promise the same thing. I will never stop loving Jane... until you catch me" Frank promised

"You are insane" Gideon replied

"Love is insanity, isn't it?" Jane asked

"What a good insanity. My hope is that one day you'll feel the way I do, too" Frank said

"If I ever find myself feeling the way you do... I'll kill myself" Gideon said simply

"Call me first. I'd love to pick your brains" Frank joked

Gideon left Frank and kept of moving until night fell and he finally found the children.

….


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 5 – The Big Game**

"Hey Morgan! Be careful! The one in the back could take your wallet" Lilith called out laughing as she carried a tray full of drinks over to Hotch and Haley.

"It's all right, I'll be a broke, happy man" Morgan called back as he danced with 4 women dancing around him.

"Cheers!" Hotch said holding up his drink

"Cheers!" Haley and Lilith replied

"How are they treating you at the B.A.U, Lilith?" Haley asked

"She means, am I being nice to you?" Hotch joked

"Actually, everyone has been incredibly nice" Lilith replied seriously

"Look at him move" Garcia said from the table next to them, staring at Morgan dance.

"It's like a cat" Garcia added

"More like a dog!" Lilith joked

"He did not ask them to dance. They asked him." Garcia defended

"Ok. Ok, he's a cat. An alley cat." Lilith replied laughing

"Come on, Haley, let's go show them how it's done" Hotch said

"Game if you are!" Haley replied as they walked into the dance floor.

"That is so sweet" Lilith said

"I'm going to the loo. Do not let anyone steal my seat" Garcia said firmly to Lilith

"I'll guard it with my life" Lilith replied jokingly.

She looked over to find JJ kicking some guys asses at darts.

"Another perfect toss!" JJ said laughing

"How did you get so good at this?" One of them asked

"Where I grew up, darts was like a national sport" JJ explained

"Seriously?" He asked

"Yeah, we were too small for a bowling alley" JJ replied before her phone went off.

"Sorry, boys, you're gonna have to find someone else to humiliate you" JJ said after looking at her phone.

Lilith then moved her gaze over to her best friend.

"Ask me anything, any question" Reid said to Agent Anderson

"Return to tomorrow" Anderson asked simply as Garcia returned to her seat so Lilith moved through the crowd and stood next to Reid, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Return to tomorrow, season 2, production number 51, an alien entity, Sargon, takes over Kirk's body while 2 others kick over Spock and Dr. Mulhall" Reid explained

"Alien race or Terran?" Anderson asked

"Trick question. A race is never identified. Sargon is a disembodied mind" Reid explained as Lilith smirked.

"What did Dr. McCoy quote?" Anderson asked and Reid looked confused. He had at look on his face when he searched through the palace that was his mind.

"5... 4... 3... 2..." Anderson counted down

"'I will not peddle flesh. I'm a physician' Drink!" Reid said excitedly as he turned to Lilith and pulled her down onto his lap, laughing.

"How much as he had to drink?" Lilith asked Anderson laughing.

"Not as much as I have" Anderson replied before standing up and leaving.

"Having fun?" Lilith asked and Reid hugged his best friend tightly.

"I love you, you know that right?" Reid whispered and Lilith hugged him back tightly and nodded.

"Sorry to interrupt, guys, we got a case" JJ said to them as they looked up to see JJ, Hotch, Haley, Garcia and Morgan looking at them with an amused look.

…..

"You know, it never fails. Just as I'm getting my groove thing going, bam. We're back at the B.A.U" Morgan complained as they walked into the conference room, drinking coffee.

"You know, statistically a case doesn't come in with any more frequency if you're at a party or a gathering and if you aren't. It's a trick of the mind. We merely remember the ones that came in that way more" Reid explained

"So is it really that hard for you to get your groove "thang" going again?" Lilith asked jokingly

"Only when he's sleeping" Gideon said walking into the room.

"Where were you tonight?" Hotch asked

"I told you, I went to the Smithsonian" Gideon replied

"You missed a good time" Lilith said

"I had a good time" Gideon replied smoothly

"Well, that's definitely over. Georgia. The Kyles, Dennis and Lacy were murdered an hour ago in their suburban Atlanta home" JJ explained walking into the room.

"An hour ago?" Hotch asked surprised

"Police were on scene unusually fast" JJ explained

"Why?" Gideon asked

"One of the unsubs called them and told them that the other was about to murder the victims" JJ explained

"You're kidding" Morgan said

"From inside the house. According to the dispatcher, the first male sounded terrified and begged them to get there before the other, who they both identified as Raphael, was about to kill the sinners that lived there" JJ explained

"Sinners?" Hotch asked

"The 9-1-1 center is going to send Garcia a copy of the tape" JJ said

"How fast was the police response time?" Reid asked

"4 minutes,26 seconds. During which time... Raphael managed to do this" JJ explained pulling up a photo of the bodies.

"In 4 1/2 minutes?" Lilith asked shocked

"Mr. Kyle is a dot com millionaire. His company is one of the largest employers in the community. There's gonna be media coverage. Also, when they arrived, the police found this displayed prominently on the bed" JJ explained as she showed a photo of the bible with a highlighted passage.

"Revelations chapter 6, verse 8" Hotch said

"They're killing sinners" Morgan explained

"These guys are on a mission. And mission-based killers will not stop killing" Reid explained

"And I looked in behold a pale horse, and his name that sat upon m was death" Hotch quoted

"And hell followed with him" Gideon finished

….

"This is a bad one, isn't it?" Lilith asked as they sat on the plane to Georgia.

"Unsubs with a cause are never good" Morgan explained

"Pets, I just got the 9-1-1 call from the Georgia state police" Garcia explained as she played it through the computer. "

9-1-1, what's your emergency?" A lady asked

"I'm at 1527 chestnut drive" A scared male said

"I know where you're calling from calling from. What's the emergency?" The lady asked again

"He thinks they're too greedy. They have too much" The male said

"Too much what?" The lady asked

"Stuff, you know, possessions. Things they don't need. Hurry!" The male said

"You're calling because these people have too much stuff?" The lady asked

"No, I'm calling because Raphael…" The male said before another male cut in.

"That's enough. I know why he's calling, because Raphael is going to kill the sinners that live here" The second male said

"I'm sorry, did you say someone is killing somebody?" The lady asked confused

"Well, unsub one definitely sounds frightened. Maybe he's doing this against his will" Lilith suggested

"I doubt it. He whispered" Gideon said

"He could have called out to save them instead of calling 9-1-1" Hotch explained

'Not if he had a gun to his head" Morgan explained

"If he had a gun to his head, why would he have dialled 9-1-1?" Gideon asked

"The second unsub said Raphael was going to kill someone. Is there a third?" JJ asked

"Referring to oneself in the third person is not uncommon for an unsub. Ted Bundy gave thoroughly detailed accounts of his murders, but he never actually admitted to doing it. He would just say, 'The killer'" Reid explained

"Ok, so I'm gonna go ahead and the name Raphael through the Georgia criminal databases as well as our own" Garcia explained

"Thanks, Garcia" Hotch said

"Ever so welcome, my liege" Garcia said before hanging up.

"We have a killing team on a mission in rural Georgia. We know what that means" Hotch said

"They're not gonna stop until the mission's complete" Morgan said simply

"We need to hit the ground running. J.J., We need an inside picture of the victims. Victimology can be critically important in a mission-based spree" Hotch said

"Already on it" JJ said firmly

"Fallon, go where the bodies are. Examine the wounds. They managed to kill 2 victims in 4 1/2 minutes" Hotch said

"You got it" Lilith said

"We need to know how" Hotch added

"I'm gonna set up at the Atlanta field office and go over case files from the state. It would be highly unusual for a first kill to be this efficient" Hotch explained

"Reid, you and Morgan, come with me to the crime scene" Gideon said

"We land in less than an hour. Everybody try to get some rest" Hotch said

Lilith and Reid went and sat on the three-seater lounge. Lilith curled up in a ball and rested her head on Reid's lap as she slept. Reid was able to sleep by resting his head back on the lounge and stretching his feet out.

…


	22. Chapter 22

"You all right?" Reid asked Gideon as they arrived at the crime scene.

"What?" Gideon asked distractedly

"You seem unhappy" Reid explained

"I am unhappy. Tired of people using religion to justify the terrible things they do" Gideon said annoyed

"You're saying these killers are on a mission?" A local cop named Detective Farraday asked

"These unsubs believe they're either on a mission from god or that the bible was somehow guiding them" Reid explained

"Unsubs?" Farraday asked confused

"That stands for unknown subjects. The killers, working as a team" Reid explained

"It sounded to me like only one of them was into the mission" Farraday said

"It's usually more complicated than even that. In the case of Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, Perry was the subservient personality. Basically against even entering the clutter home, and yet he was the one who almost single-handedly slaughtered the entire family" Reid explained

"How many times was Mr. Kyle stabbed?" Gideon asked

"Stabbed... isn't exactly the word" Farraday said simply

….

"They're all long, deep gashes. Each victim has virtually the same wounds- both throats cut, a vertical gash up one arm from wrist to elbow, and a vertical gash down one leg from crotch to upper thigh" Dr. Wilson explained to Lilith at the Morgue.

"Major arteries" Lilith stated

"It's damned efficient" Dr. Wilson added

"How much knowledge of anatomy would someone need to do this?" Lilith asked

"Anyone with a basic understanding of the body knows where these arteries are" Dr. Wilson explained

"And do you have any idea which one of these wounds was delivered first?" Lilith asked

"Um, there was a… there was active blood flow from each of the wounds, so they're probably all delivered at about the same time. With any of these wounds, the victim would bleed out quickly, almost like an animal at slaughter. No. Exactly like an animal at slaughter. A deer or a lamb or a cow, something like that. You… you cut the throat first, then… then sometimes open up other major arteries to assist in draining the carcass" Dr. Wilson explained

"So, maybe a hunter?" Lilith asked

"Or a farmer. Pretty much anyone in rural Georgia" Dr. Wilson said with a sigh

"Oh" Lilith said sighing.

….

"So, I just talked to the Gentries. They were the last couple to leave the super bowl party. According to them, the Kyles didn't have any enemies. They were good to their employees, more generous then they needed to be. They were just generally good people" JJ explained to Hotch at the police station.

"So why them?" Hotch asked

"Well, if the trigger's greed, they do have a nice house" JJ muttered

"Yeah, but you can't tell that from the street. These people were chosen, and we need to know why and how" Hotch explained

"I pulled everything we have unsolved in the last 2 years. Nothing even close to the M.O" Agent Franks explained walking over to them.

"No murders involving a knife?" Hotch asked

"We have a lot of open cases involving knives but they're in common type crimes, bar fights, robberies" Franks said

"Well, this isn't their first contact. One of them has experience" Hotch said walking off.

"Is it ok if I go through some of your case files? Fresh eyes" JJ asked

"There's nothing there" Franks said firmly

"Help me out, ok? These guys, they're not gonna let me do anything else, and I flew all the way here, so..." JJ said trailing off.

"I'll show you the file room" Franks said and JJ shared an amused looked with Hotch.

….

"This is an unincorporated area. We're stretched pretty thin, manpower-wise. That's why we couldn't get here any faster after the guy called" Farraday explained

"4 1/2 minutes, that's a pretty good response time" Gideon said impressed

"Yeah, that's on par with New York City's response time. 4.3 minutes" Reid stated

"And they've got a hell of a lot more cops per capital" Morgan explained

"This unsub was good. You didn't really have a chance" Gideon said simply

"Ok, I know my partner called 9-1-1. The police are on the way, so I don't have a lot of time. Now, assuming unsub one didn't actively participate, I gotta believe I entered the bedroom from here. I see Mr. Kyle on the other side of the bed. So I approach him. And I cut him first" Morgan explained

"Well, how do you know that?" Farraday asked

"A blitz attacker neutralizes the greatest threat first. In this case, it would be the man" Morgan stated

"Plus a 9-1-1 call. Woman screamed. You can't scream with your throat cut" Gideon added

"So Mrs. Kyle sees her husband murdered. She runs back into the bathroom. She tries to close the door behind her. I force my way in. And I kill Mrs. Kyle back here in the bathroom" Morgan continued

"We checked that smudge for prints. Nothing. Looks like he wore some gloves. Not with any pattern. Like latex maybe" Farraday stated

"That doesn't make any sense at all" Morgan said confused

"It doesn't?" Farraday asked

"Unsubs suffering from a psychopathy, a delusion, like a message from god, or what we could classify as being disorganized. They don't generally clean up after themselves" Reid explained

"You know, maybe unsub one, the frightened one, made sure they didn't" Morgan add as his phone rang.

"Yeah, talk to me, baby girl" Morgan said into the phone.

"Are you at the crime scene?" Garcia asked

"Yep" Morgan said simply

"Is there like a- a burgundy settee against one wall?" Garcia asked

"Um, if a settee is a little couch" Morgan said confused

"Oh, my lord" Garcia said shocked

"What? What's wrong?" Morgan asked worried

"I just got a viral video emailed to me by a friend" Garcia explained

"A viral what?" Morgan asked confused

"It's a video that someone posted online that someone thinks is novel in some way, and so they send it to everyone on their email lists, and so on and so on. This one seems to be pretty popular judging by the string of names on the forward" Garcia explained

"Garcia, is there some point to all of this?" Morgan asked

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's a video of your crime scene. More specifically of your crime, most specifically of Mr. Kyle being murdered" Garcia explained

"Garcia, there's a video of this murder posted on the internet?" Morgan aske

"Yeah. Shot from directly across the room from the... little couch" Garcia explained and Morgan walked over to see a laptop.

…..


	23. Chapter 23

"He says the world is a cesspool. Greed. Lust. Disease" Unsub Number One said as the team watched the video that Garcia sent them back at the station.

"That sounds like unsub number one" Lilith said

"He says redemption must be sought. We must all repent" He continued

"And he referred to being Raphael?" Hotch asked

"Or God" Gideon added

"It's not god. It's someone sitting right there next to him telling this guy what to say" Morgan explained

"As lord god spoke in Leviticus. 618" A new voice said

"That's a new voice" Morgan said simply

"And if you will not yet for all this. I will punish ye 7 times more for your sins" The new voice continued

"A third unsub?" Lilith asked confused

"Could just be recorded from a religious program or sermon?" Morgan asked

"Punish you 7 times" JJ repeated confused

"5 more victims"' Gideon said

"These images were shot from the exact spot on the dresser where that computer sat" Morgan explained

"So, if this video came from that computer's camera, then what? Did the unsubs bring it with them?" Hotch asked

"As far as I can tell, this computer belonged to the Kyles. Garcia can do a better analysis, but it has their banking statements, vacation photos" Reid explained as he looked through the laptop.

"One comes into the room and immediately goes after Mr. Kyle. What, did the other unsub turn the camera on?" Hotch asked

"We might be asking the wrong questions. This video, this message, it's important. Clearly they want the world to see this. They need it. But they didn't bring a camera with them" Gideon said

"Agent Franks? Does this building have wireless internet?" Reid asked in a whisper and Lilith looked at him confused.

"Yeah. Why?" Franks asked

"That cameras on right now" Reid whispered

"The computer's connected itself to the internet. It's streaming a video feed somewhere" Reid explained

"Can we trace this stream to the destination?" Hotch asked

"Keep it open, Garcia might be able… It turned off" Reid said suddenly

"So they're controlling it remotely?" Hotch asked

"Is that even possible?" Lilith asked and they called Garcia.

"Yeah, you can totally access someone's computer remotely. It's actually done a lot today. When a mortal call for tech support, instead of like giving you instructions, the tech can work on your computer from wherever she is" Garcia explained

"And they maintain the access even after the work is done?" Hotch asked

"They're not supposed to, but I suppose you could install a Trojan horse during a service" Garcia said

"Something left in the computer to be turned on later. Same way that websites get pop-up adds onto your computer" Reid explained

"Garcia, can you check the Kyles' phone records and see if they called for tech support in the last 6 months?" Hotch asked

"Right-O. Oh, and if you get me the Kyles' laptop, I can search the drive for anything implanted there" Garcia added

"Fast as we can" Hotch said simply

"By the way, this video, it's gone crazy viral" Garcia explained

"What does that mean?" Gideon asked

"That means it's the most downloaded video on the entire internet, worldwide. And judging by the responses embedded in the files, people seem to think it's pretty cool" Garcia explained

"Call us if you find anything on the Kyles' computer" Hotch said and hung up.

"Murder as entertainment" Gideon said simply

"They probably don't even realize it's real. People see so many images online every day, they might assume it's marketing for a horror film or something" JJ explained

"The unsubs are right about one thing... the world is pretty screwed up" Morgan muttered.

…

"So what have we got so far?" Hotch asked

"Well, the killings are clinically efficient. They had the ear marks of a slaughter, as in an animal" Lilith explained

"Or a sacrifice" Morgan added

"We haven't been able to find anything in federal or state databases that suggest similar crimes. As far as I can tell, it's the first in a series" Hotch explained

"At least one member of the team may believe he's killing in the name of god, suggesting a psychopathy that should display extreme levels disorganization. Yet there are forensic countermeasures and somebody in control enough to do complicated computer work. One member of the team's organized, the other's extremely disorganized. But what's strange is that the one that we would consider as being most in control, the one that made the phone call, can't seem to stop the other one from killing. Usually the frenzied personality takes direction from the cooler head" Reid explained

"All right, so let's look at that. Unsub one called the police before the killing, but he didn't leave time for him to get there. Is the phone call just a guy working on a defence in case of capture? I mean, maybe he didn't want to stop the other, but he did whatever he had to do to cover himself" Morgan asked

"So... what do we have so far?" Gideon asked

"Not enough" Gideon answered himself as the team looked at each other.

…

"So, Franks is right, none of the open knife cases fit" JJ said walking over to Hotch and Reid.

"Tell me there's a but" Hotch said

"Well, I looked at it a different way. I looked for unsolved home invasions. 3 months ago, there was a prowler called in directly outside of the Kyles' house" JJ explained

"A prowler?" Reid asked

"The witness was walking his dog in a nearby park. Going back to his car, he saw a man in dark clothing go over the back wall and start sneaking up to the house. By the time the state police got there, prowler was gone" JJ explained

"Only one man?" Hotch asked

"Apparently" JJ replied

"Was the witness able to describe him?" Reid asked

'If he did, it's not in this case file" JJ explained

"Is there a name and address for the witness?' Hotch asked

"Tobias Hankle. Lives about an hour from here" JJ explained

"It's a long shot, but he might be able to give us a description. Why don't you and Reid go out there, see if you can find Mr. Hankle and see if he remembers something" Hotch said

"On it" JJ said as Reid and she left.

"Agent Hotchner" Franks said walking over to him.

"Yeah?" Hotch asked

"State just responded to another murder" Franks explained

…..


	24. Chapter 24

"See if you can get the coroner out here right away" Farraday said as Morgan, Lilith, Gideon and Hotch arrived at the new crime scene.

"Detective" Hotch said as they arrived

"Yeah. Well, he called again. This time it was different. Only one of them spoke" Farraday said

"Which one?" Hotch asked

"Pretty sure it was Raphael. I wrote down what he said, and I got a recording being brought out here. Took almost 11 minutes to respond. We only had but the one unit close" Farraday said

"Could the unsub know that?" Morgan asked

"Lack of police presence out here has gotten some local media attention recently" Farraday explained

"9-1-1 call wasn't the only thing that was different. This particular scene is weird in another way. The male victim, upstairs… throat cut" Farraday added

"Why is that weird?" Gideon asked as Morgan and Lilith walked up stairs to look at the body

"He doesn't live here. He's a local handyman" Farraday explained

"Who lives here?" Hotch asked

"The Douglas's. I just talked to Mr. Douglas a little while ago. He's on his way back from a business meeting down state. And according to him, he wasn't having any handy work done on the house. And his wife was supposed to be home" Farraday explained

"But she's not?" Hotch said

"She seems to be missing. But her car is here. Keys, wallet, purse. I got a description out on the field" Farraday said

"So did you copy down what the caller said?" Gideon asked

"Yeah. 'Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and then that commit adultery'" Farraday said

"Oh" Gideon said making Farraday stop confused

"So adultery is the sin, but they kill him and not her. They abduct her" Hotch explained

"You think she's still alive?" Farraday asked

"Well, we never assume otherwise unless there's evidence" Hotch explained

"'I will cast her into a bed' It's from revelation again. It's about jezebel. She was an adulterer, whore, false prophetess. She's the most reviled woman in the bible" Gideon explained

"The unsubs knew she was having an affair. There was a laptop here" Hotch explained

…

"Don't look now, but we're on candid camera" Morgan whispered as they walked into the bedroom to examine the body.

"Uh-huh" Lilith said simply

Before they turned and left the room, walking down stair to Hotch and Gideon.

"There's a laptop set up on the dresser upstairs" Morgan said

"With a pretty good view of the room" Lilith added

"Garcia's trying to trace the camera's feed back to its destination" Morgan finished

"So let's work this out. What does the new behaviour tell us?" Hotch asked Morgan and Lilith as they walked outside.

"That there was only one unsub this time? Uh, Raphael? Alone?" Lilith asked

"Not if he's the psychotic. He wouldn't be capable of operating this efficiently. Someone was here who could control himself. Make sure no evidence was left behind" Hotch explained

"At the first crime, unsub one called the police, right? This time it was Raphael. Why? It's like the phone call is necessary. It's part of the signature" Morgan said

"Have we ever seen this in case history?" Hotch asked

"A mixture of extreme psychosis in a controlled individual? No. One of the most common indicators of extreme psychosis is solitude" Morgan explained

"They don't exactly play well with others" Lilith added

"Was Garcia able to find anything on a Raphael in the records?" Gideon asked walking over to them.

"Not yet" Morgan said

"So why is he naming himself? Twice? Certainly not worried about us getting that name. In fact, he wants us to know it" Gideon explained

"An alias?" Lilith asked

"Or Raphael doesn't actually exist" Gideon said simply

"So we're not looking for a team?" Morgan asked

"Raphael's the name of one of the archangels" Gideon stated

"Meaning?" Lilith asked

"We may have one unsub, suffering from a delusion that he's actually an archangel. Maybe that first phone call was not 2 people, but one" Gideon explained

"What about the third voice?" Lilith asked

"That I don't know about yet' Gideon replied

"If Mrs. Douglas is jezebel, there is an especially unpleasant death in her future" Hotch muttered

…..

"Garcia's running voice analysis on the first 9-1-1 call to see if there are actually 2 voices. She's also going to peel the third voice off the videotape and see if that gets anything" Hotch explained as they got back to the local police station.

"We should have a copy of that latest call brought over here within the hour" Farraday added

"Thanks" Hotch said

"Hotchner. Your tip from Quantico is on the phone" A local said and he gave Hotch the phone.

"Garcia?" Hotch asked putting the phone on loud speaker.

"Jeez, don't you people answer your cell phones anymore?" Garcia asked

"We were driving back to Atlanta through the countryside. Spotty cell signal" Hotch explained

"If you think that first video went viral fast, the second one's going through the stratosphere" Garcia explained

"Second video?" Hotch asked

"Yeah, there's a new video from our psycho. I'm downloading it myself right now. Some of these upload sites get more than a million hits a day" Garcia explained

"Get it on the monitor here as soon as you can" Hotch said

"In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of jezebel" The Unsub said on the video as they watched three dogs tear Mrs. Douglas to death.

"Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Oh, my god, no!" Garcia cried

"Jezebel's death" Gideon said mournfully

"My god" Lilith muttered

"You can turn it off" Hotch said

"Oh, wait" Farraday said suddenly

"You hadn't seen enough?" Morgan asked

"Those dogs. Those 3 dogs attacked someone a couple of months ago. I would have had them impounded, but the victim knew the owner. A neighbour. He didn't want to press charges" Farraday explained

"You sure?" Gideon asked

"As god is my witness. 3 mangy mixes. I knew those dogs looked sick. I called animal control, I don't know if they ever followed up on it" Farraday said grabbing the file.

"Here it is" Farraday said

"You have the owner's name?" Hotch asked

"Hankle" Farraday said

"Hankle?" Hotch asked worried

"Tobias Hankle" Farraday said

"What is it Hotch?" Lilith asked, looking at his pale face.

"JJ and Reid are there" Hotch said

…..

"Hi, Mr. Hankle?" JJ asked

"Um... yeah?" Tobias asked through the crack of the door.

"Mr. Hankle? F.B.I., I'm Agent Jareau, this is Agent Reid" JJ introduced

"F.B.I.?" Tobias asked

"May we come in?" Reid asked

"Um... I'm sorry, I don't let anyone in the house" Tobias said

"Actually, I, uh, really have to, um... you know, go?" Reid said embarrassed

"You do?" JJ asked confused

"For 30 minutes" Reid said

"Why didn't you say something in the car?" JJ asked

"Uh, do you mind?" Reid asked

"I'm sorry. My father doesn't like it" Tobias said

"Your father? You're, like, 30" Reid said

"At what age can one start disrespecting the wishes of their parents?" Tobias asked

"You witnessed something a few months ago, that might be very helpful to us" JJ said

"I did?" Tobias asked

"You saw someone go over a wall into a yard, you called the police?" JJ asked

"Me?" Tobias asked confused

"You didn't?" JJ asked

"Sorry" Tobias said simply

"Is there another Tobias Hankle here?" JJ asked

"Just me and my father. Charles" Tobias said

"There's a report on file that lists you as calling 9-1-1. You were walking a dog" JJ explained

"No, that's wrong, I don't have a dog" Tobias said

"Oh. All right, well, sorry to bother you, sir" JJ said

"Have a good night" Tobias said and closed the door.

"That's weird. Why bother calling the police in the first place if later, you're just going to pretend you didn't?" JJ asked

"To gauge the response time" Reid said suddenly

"What?" JJ asked confused

"If you were going to kill somebody, but you wanted to call the police first, what would you need to know?" Reid asked

"How long it takes them to get there" JJ said as Reid took off

"Reid!" JJ called out as Reid looked into the window to see a room full of computers. Suddenly Reid saw Tobias staring at him.

"JJ.! Get back here! He's the unsub! He's in the barn! Come on" Reid whispered as they saw Tobias run into the barn.

"He's in here" Reid said pulling out his gun.

"You sure?" JJ asked

"You ever seen me pull this thing out when I wasn't?" Reid asked

"Call Hotch" Reid said

"We're in the middle of nowhere, Reid. We have no cell service" JJ explained

"Right. Of course we have no service" Reid muttered

"What do we do?" JJ asked

"I don't know. He's definitely in here. What would Lilith do? Okay, you cover the front, I'm gonna go around back. Hotch knows we came here. He'll come looking for us. We'll just wait him out" Reid said before running off.

"No, Reid, are you sure we should split up?" JJ asked but it was too late, Reid had taken off. Reid walked towards the back of the barn to see someone running through the field.

"JJ.! JJ., He's out back!" Reid whispered

"What?" JJ whispered back confused when suddenly a gush of wind blew the barn door open.

"Reid? Reid" JJ said frightened as she held up her gun and walked slowly into the pitch black van.

"Why are you running from them devils, boy?" A voice asked as Reid crept towards him.

"They're F.B.I" Tobias said

"They're devils! You're doing the lord's work. You got nothing to be afraid of!" The voice said

"I don't want do this anymore!" Tobias said scared

"Don't you disrespect me, boy" The voice said before Reid heard someone getting hit.

"I'm sorry" Tobias cried

"You don't get a choice when the lord summons you to do his work" The voice said followed by more sounds of someone getting hit.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry" Tobias cried before Reid heard JJ's screams and guns shots.

"JJ!" Reid called out worried only to be punched in the face.

"Wait, wait, wait" Reid begged as Tobias held his gun and pointed it at him.

"I could've stop him by myself" Tobias said

"Ok, ok" Reid said

"I tried to warn everyone" Tobias said

"Just relax, Mr. Hankle, all right?" Reid said

"Shoot him!" A voice said and Reid watched as Tobias turned into a new persona before his eyes.

"I don't want to!" Tobias cried

"I said, shoot him, you weakling. He's a Satan" The new persona ordered

"He didn't do anything" Tobias cried

"I won't tell you another time, boy. Shoot him!" The second persona shouted as Reid looked on, wondering if he was ever going to see his team again… see Lilith Fallon again.

…


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 6 – Revelations**

" _I'm sorry. I'm sorry" Tobias cried before Reid heard JJ's screams and guns shots._

" _JJ!" Reid called out worried only to be punched in the face._

" _Wait, wait, wait" Reid begged as Tobias held his gun and pointed it at him._

" _I could've stop him by myself" Tobias said_

" _Ok, ok" Reid said_

" _I tried to warn everyone" Tobias said_

" _Just relax, Mr. Hankle, all right?" Reid said_

" _Shoot him!" A voice said and Reid watched as Tobias turned into a new person before his eyes._

" _I don't want to!" Tobias cried_

" _I said, shoot him, you weakling. He's a Satan" The new persona ordered_

" _He didn't do anything" Tobias cried_

" _I won't tell you another time, boy. Shoot him!" The second persona shouted as Reid looked on, wondering if he was ever going to see his team again… see Lilith Fallon again._

…

Police sirens could be heard in the distance as Hotch, Gideon, Morgan and Lilith pulled up to Hankle's house.

"There's a barn around back" Farraday said to Morgan

"Fallon, come on" Morgan said and they took off towards the barn. Morgan and Lilith moved through the barn to see a dead dog and a mattress soaked in blood.

"Damn" Morgan whispered as he realised it was Mrs. Douglas.

"F.B.I!" JJ shouted, pointing her gun at a local cop.

"JJ!" Morgan shouted

"Don't move" JJ shouted in shock

"JJ, it's Morgan and Fallon. Don't shoot" Morgan said

"It's ok. Are you hurt?" Morgan asked as JJ slowly lowered her gun.

"Tobias Hankle is the unsub" JJ said

"Yeah, we know" Morgan said

"I'm calling an ambulance" Farraday said walking out of the barn.

"We just thought he was a witness. I had to kill them" JJ said in shock looking at the dead dogs.

"JJ, where's Reid?" Morgan asked

"They just completely tore her apart. There's nothing even left..." JJ said in shocked, staring at the blood and dogs.

''JJ, look at me. Look at me. Where's Reid?" Lilith asked firmly, worried about her best friend.

"We split up. He said he was going to go in the back" JJ explained as Morgan ran around back. Lilith led JJ out of the barn and to the main house where Hotch and Gideon were. Morgan looked around the barn but couldn't find Reid or Tobias.

…..

"Hey, is there any sign of him yet?" Lilith asked Farraday as JJ was getting checked by the ambulance.

"We got every one of our units on the road. He won't make it far" Farraday said

"You can't find Reid?" JJ asked shocked

"Not yet" Lilith said softly, trying to contain her worry for her best friend.

"Fallon" Morgan said pulling Lilith aside.

"I think Reid followed him into the cornfield. It looks like somebody got dragged" Morgan said and Lilith paled dramatically and started breathing heavily.

"Hey, look at me, we need you to stay focused here" Morgan whispered and Lilith nodded and composed herself

"Yeah. You sure? We're on our way now" Farraday said

"Hey, what's going on?" Lilith asked

"The sheriff 2 towns over. He just gave directions to a man who fit Hankle's description. It's to a motor lodge in fort bend" Farraday explained

"Let's get Hotch and Gideon" Morgan said to Lilith

"Yeah" She agreed and followed him inside the house.

…

"They're gone" A male voice said waking up Reid.

"Who are they?" Reid asked confused

"It's just me now" The male replied

"Who... who are you?" Reid asked confused, his voice raw.

"I'm Raphael" Raphael said simply

Reid opened to his eyes to see Tobias's persona Raphael staring at him. Reid noticed his hands were tied up and he was in a shack somewhere.

"What's that smell?" Reid asked

"They're burning fish hearts and livers. Keeps away the devil. They believe you can see inside men's minds" Raphael said

"It's not true. I study human behaviour" Reid tried to reason with him.

"I'm not interested in the arguments of men" Raphael said as he pulled out a gun and grabbed a bullet.

"You know that this is?" Raphael asked

"It's god's will" Raphael answered and put the bullet in the barrel and pointed it at Reid.

"You don't have to do this" Reid begged scared

"Now go, sinners, to your god" Raphael said simply

…..

"You know, they do have hotels in Georgia" Garcia said as Hotch and her pulled up to Hankle's house.

"If we're going to figure out where Tobias Hankle has taken Reid, the answer is in this house. There's no sense splitting time between here and a field office" Hotch explained

"Right" Garcia agreed

"Think of the house as a witness. If it could talk, what would it tell us?" Hotch asked

"My guess is it would tell us to get the hell out" Garcia muttered as they walked into the house. Garcia looked around in shock.

"Welcome to our nightmare" JJ said simply

"His computer is an extension of his brain. I need you to dissect it" Gideon said firmly and Garcia nodded

"I'll get you set up. Come on" Morgan said as they walked out of the room.

"So, nothing new since I left?" Hotch asked

"Well, the good thing is, the guy documented practically every second of his life. The bad news is, we're still un piling" Lilith explained trying to remain calm

"From the looks of it, he hasn't left this place in years" JJ added

"He knew he could pretend to be looking for a motel and throw us off his trail" Lilith said annoyed

"No, no, no. It's more than that. Sheriff's office, 911 calls. Every time he engages the police and gets away with it... he reassures himself God's on his side, not ours" Gideon explained

…..

"Right out of the gate, the guy's self-taught. His mainframe is totally idiosyncratic, but it's pretty brilliant" Garcia explained to Morgan

"Talk to me about what this son of a bitch watches on-line. What the hell is all of this?" Morgan asked

"It's tame stuff- video games, software, sports. Seriously, if I had to guess whose system this belongs to, I would say a crazy smart high-school kid" Garcia said

"Garcia, that doesn't make any sense" Morgan said confused

"Well, that's what I've got" Garcia said simply

"A mission-based killer like Hankle would need constant reassurance… religious manifesto, violent images, something" Morgan explained

"Nothing, baby. Nothing" Garcia said typing away.

"What about the mpegs of the murders he posted on-line? Does he sit and watch those over and over?" Morgan asked

"Ok, that's weird" Garcia muttered

"What? Talk to me" Morgan said hurried

"They're not even here. All I have is a site he set up once he commandeered people's webcams, and he keeps a running clock, and at a certain point, each one is bookmarked with a different heading" Garcia explained

"'Adulterer, liar, thief' This guy sits here for days and just watches these people, and he waits for them to commit a sin" Morgan stated

"Yeah, but Reid's completely innocent" Garcia said

"If you dig deep enough on any of us, we all have our sins, including Reid" Morgan said with a sigh

…


	26. Chapter 26

Reid looked around at the shack, looking for anything usual, trying to ignore the sharp pain in his head as he felt the blood drip down his face. A new persona of Tobias kicked open the door carrying firewood.

"What are you staring at, boy?" He said

"You're not Raphael" Reid said

"Do I look like Raphael?" He snapped

"Thank you for burning those... keeping us safe" Reid said

"Don't try to trick me" He said firmly

"I would never try and trick you" Reid said firmly

"You're a liar" He said

"I'm not a liar" Reid said

"Lying's a sin" He said firmly

"I'm not a liar" Reid said as the man grabbed Reid's foot and placed it on his lap.

"This will be over quickly if you just confess your sins" The persona said simply

"I'm not a sinner" Reid begged

"We're all sinners" He said taking off his shoe and sock.

"The lord spoke unto Moses saying, "speak unto all the congregation of the children of the lord " and say unto them, ye shall be holy, for I, the lord your god, am holy" Reid quoted

"You know Leviticus" The persona stated

"I know every word of the bible. I can recite it for you" Reid said

"The devil knows how to read, too" The persona mocked

"I'm not a devil. I'm not a devil. I'm a man. My name is Spencer Reid, and I have a mother, and I have a father just like you, and they taught me the bible. Let me just recite the bible" Reid begged

"Time to confess, Spencer Reid" The persona said as he hit Reid in the foot with a leather strap.

"Confess" He demanded

"I... I don't have anything to confess" Reid cried before getting hit again.

…..

"Hey, I have got a list of narcotics anonymous meetings. Someone's name and number is written on it, but this looks to be about 12 years old" Lilith said to Gideon as they continued to search the house.

"Try it. There are no bad leads" Gideon said as he pulled away some wallpaper to reveal writing on the wall.

"Is that Latin?" Lilith asked

"Honora partum tuum. Honor thy father" Gideon explained as Lilith left the room and walked past the bathroom to find JJ trying to clean herself up. She spun around, pulling out her gun.

"Hey, hey, hey. JJ, It's me. Are you all right?" Lilith asked shocked

"Uh... yeah. I'm sorry. You scared me" JJ admitted

"I'm sorry. I'm talking tomorrow morning to some guy who knew Hankle from narcotics anonymous. Why don't you come with me, get out of the house?" Lilith asked

"Yeah" JJ agreed

"Ok. Great" Lilith said simply

"Lilith" JJ said softly

"Yeah?" Lilith asked

"Do you… do you hate me?" JJ asked and Lilith stepped closer to her.

"Why would I hate you?" Lilith asked confused

"He got taken because of me" JJ said softly

"Ok, listen here JJ. None of this is your fault, understand?" Lilith said firmly

"How come none of this gets to you?" JJ said

"What do you mean?" Lilith asked

"Spence is your best friend, your only sort of family as far as I understand. He has been kidnapped by an unsub and you… you are acting like it doesn't bother you at all" JJ said simply

"She's right. You've haven't even blinked" Hotch said walking into the conversation.

"I… guess... maybe I compartmentalize better than most people. I know that Reid needs me at my best right now" Lilith said, trying to hold back her tears.

"Hey, guys! I think I got something!" Morgan called out as he found a door to an underground cellar.

"Tobias Hankle! F.B.I.!" Morgan called out before walking in with Hotch to find a body, sitting up.

"Tobias Hankle. Tobias" Morgan called out but the body didn't move. Hotch moved forward to find the body had a gunshot in his forehead.

"I think we just found Hankle's father" Hotch muttered

…

"You need to eat" Tobias said as he carried in a pig.

"What's your name?" Reid asked

"Tobias" Tobias answered

"Tobias? Who was here before?" Reid asked

"It was probably my father. I'm sorry if he hurt you" Tobias said sadly

Tobias dropped the pig and took of his belt.

"What are you doing?" Reid asked as he wrapped it around Reid's arm

"Don't. Please don't" Reid begged

"It helps. Don't tell my father. He doesn't know they're here" Tobias said as he pulled out a vial of dilaudid.

"Please. I don't want it. I don't want it. Please" Reid begged

"Trust me. I know" Tobias said simply as he injected the drug and Reid passed out from the effects of the drug.

" _Spencer, please go to the other room" His father William said to a 10-year old Spencer._

" _Don't treat him like a child" Diana, Reid's mother said_

" _I'm not going to have this conversation in front of him" William argued_

" _Statistically, children who grow up in 2-parent households attain 3 more years of higher education than children from single-parent households. attain 3 more years of higher education than children from single-parent households" Spencer stated_

" _We're not statistics, Spencer" William snapped_

" _I'm not crazy" Diana said_

" _If you refuse to take care of yourself, I can't help you" Willian argued_

" _I do take care of myself" Diana argued_

" _What day is it?" Willian asked_

" _That's not fair" Diana said softly_

" _I'm out of ideas, Diana" William said packing his bag._

" _Well, you could take Spencer with you, just for a little while" Diana said_

" _Don't do this" William begged_

" _You're weak" Diana spat_

" _You're right. Good-bye" William said to Spencer before walking out._

" _I'm not weak" Spencer muttered_

" _I know, honey" Diana said softly and hugged him._

"I'm not weak. I'm not weak" Reid muttered as he came out of his drug induced state.

"I don't give a damn whether you're weak or strong. Yell all you want, boy. Ain't no one gonna hear you where you are" The persona of Tobias's father, Charles said firmly

…

"Tobias Hankle. I haven't thought about that boy in probably 10 years" The man said to Lilith and JJ.

"So you two were in a program together?" JJ asked

"He should tell you, but yeah, I was his sponsor. Small town. We all get lumped together. Me, I was just a drunk, but Tobias, he was a whole different sort of animal" The man said softly

"So, what was Tobias' drug of choice?" Lilith asked

"Dilaudid" The man said

"Drugstore heroin" Lilith said

"He used to cut it with a psychedelic. That boy was looking to escape as far from reality as he could get. Addicts don't get excuses, but if someone ever needed to self-medicate, it was that boy" The man explained

"Why is that?" Lilith asked

"You know anything about his daddy?" The man asked

"We think Tobias Hankle may have murdered his father" JJ said

"Good for him. You know, Tobias' mama ran off with another man when he was 7. His dad went section-eight, started preaching about sin, end-of-the-world stuff. He beat Tobias silly.

He burned a cross in his forehead when Tobias was 10. If Tobias wore a hat, he beat him more" The man explained

"Is there anyone Tobias would turn to if he was on the run?" Lilith asked

"As far as I know, he never left home. You know, honestly, between his habit and the old man, I'm amazed he's still alive" The man explained

…


	27. Chapter 27

"There's something weird going on here" Morgan said reading a book

"You think?" Farraday asked

"No, seriously. Check this out. This journal is filled with religious ramblings. He notates hour by hour. "November 15th,3:17- if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offering unto the lord, ye shall offer it at your own will. " And it goes on and on. But then it goes blank for days" Morgan explained

"Maybe he got sick of writing" Farraday said

"I think I got it" Hotch said reading another book.

"What is it?" Gideon asked

"Journal entry- "December 6th. Father sick. "Wants me to put him down. "I say, "thou shalt not kill. He says, Honor thy father. Must pray for guidance" Hotch read

"So he kills his father as an act of mercy?" Gideon asked

"This is 2 months ago. Tobias Hankle's father had been dead for 4 months already" Hotch explained

"That's exactly it. Look at the floor. These scuff marks are fresh. I mean, it's like 2 people were moving the chairs constantly, trying to fight for control" Morgan said

"So?" Farraday asked

"This journal matches Charles Hankle's handwriting. But it was written after he died. Upstairs, Tobias' bedroom- it's got junk piled from floor to ceiling, but the other bedroom could pass a military inspection" Morgan continued

"So are you telling me one of Tobias' personalities are his father?" Farraday asked

"Well, Tobias was raised with a strict religious code- black and white, right and wrong. When his father asked Tobias to kill him, something had to give" Gideon stated

"His brain couldn't handle the moral contradiction, so it split into 2 personalities in order to keep his father alive" Hotch explained

"So... who is Raphael?" Farraday asked

"My guess-he's a mediator between the two. Angels have no human emotions. Live or die, they don't care, as long as it's god's will" Gideon explained

"We need to start profiling Tobias' father. He may be the one who chose where to take Reid" Hotch said

"I'll get Garcia on it" Morgan said leaving the room.

"Garcia, I need you to log into the system as Tobias' father" Morgan said

"The system was set up 3 months ago. Dad was already dead" Garcia said confused

"I know that, smarty-pants, but do it for your boy anyway, all right?" Morgan asked

"Ok" Garcia said

"Charles Hankle" Morgan said

"Oh" Garcia said shocked as pictures of explosions and death filled the screen.

…

"Any luck with the rehab contact?" Gideon asked as JJ and Lilith walked back into the house.

"Well, he has no idea where Hankle might be, but we did learn that he has a serious drug problem—dilaudid" Lilith explained

"Well, that could explain the psychotic fracture" Hotch said

"What are you talking about?" JJ asked

"Tobias is living as at least 3 different people- himself, Raphael, and his father" Gideon explained and Lilith felt sick to her stomach that Reid was with this man.

"This could be some bad news. A computer store was robbed in the middle of the night. A suburb outside of Atlanta. The thief got away with 4 laptops, external hard drives, and a satellite" Farraday explained

"If it's Tobias, it puts him right back in business" Hotch said

Morgan and Garcia continued to work on the computers until suddenly the screens turned black.

"What happened?" Morgan asked

"I don't know" Garcia said before Reid appeared on the screen.

"Oh, my god" Garcia said shocked

"Guys! Guys! Get in here!" Morgan yelled as Gideon, JJ, Hotch and Lilith ran into the room.

"He's been beaten" Lilith said, her eyes running over every inch of her best friend.

"Can't you track him?" JJ asked

"Hankle's only streaming this to his home computer" Garcia said

"This is for us. He knows we're here" Gideon said

"I'm gonna put this guy's head on a stick" Morgan muttered

"Why can't you locate him?" Hotch asked

"He's rerouting to a different I.P. Address every 30 seconds. I can't track him" Garcia explained

"Can you really see inside men's minds? See these vermin? Choose one to die. I'll let you choose one to live" Raphael said to Reid

"No" Reid said simply

"I thought you wanted to be some kind of Saviour" Raphael asked

"You're a sadist on a psychotic break. You won't stop killing. Your word's not true" Reid replied

"The other heathens are watching. Choose a sinner to die, and I'll say the name and address of the person to be saved" Raphael said

"I won't choose who gets slaughtered and have you leave their remains behind like a poacher" Reid said firmly as Raphael jumped forward and grabbed Reid by the collar, lifting him up.

"Can you really see into my mind, boy? Can you see I'm not a liar?! Choose one to die, and save a life. Otherwise, they're all dead" Raphael said dropping Reid back into his seat.

"All right, I'll choose who lives" Reid said scared

"They're all the same" Raphael said

"Far right screen" Reid said

"Marilyn David, 4913 Walnut Creek Road" Raphael said

"You got that?" Hotch asked

"Yeah" Garcia said and got the phone number for Gideon. Gideon called the family and got her to close her laptop quickly.

"Raphael" Reid said as he turned off the camera. Lilith stormed out of the room and started trashing the lounge room, flipping tables over and punching the wall, tears dripping from her eyes. Morgan grabbed her from behind and pulled her into a hug tightly. She clung to him and cried hard into his shoulder.

….

"Slaughtered, same as the others. We've got roadblocks for a 15-mile radius. Every unit on the road. But so far nothing" Farraday said

"I don't know how much longer Reid can hold out" Hotch muttered

"Who were the victims?" Gideon asked

"Pam and Mike Hayes. He was a local defence attorney" Farraday explained

"And what bible passage was left?" Gideon asked

"Isaiah 59" Farraday said pulling out the bible.

"No one calls for justice, no one pleads their case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies they conceive trouble and give birth to evil" Hotch said as Gideon walked over to the laptop.

"Reid, if you're watching, you're not responsible for this. you understand me? He's perverting god to justify murder. You are stronger than him. He cannot break you" Gideon said into the camera.

Reid simply watched in shocked form his spot in the shack.

….

Lilith and Morgan stood in the kitchen, in silence. Lilith's eyes were puffy and red from the crying but she was back to being as together as she could be in the situation.

"I thought you were going to try and get some rest" Morgan said to JJ as she walked in.

"Everybody else is working. I should be, too" JJ said simply

"We can handle it" Morgan said firmly

"It's funny. I keep thinking... the one thing we need to crack this case is, uh... well, Reid" JJ said and Lilith could feel her walls failing her again at the mention of her best friend.

"You think Reid and I should have stayed together at the barn, don't you?" JJ asked Morgan

"JJ, go get some rest" Morgan said with a sigh

"I can tell that's what you're thinking, so…" JJ said annoyed

"I just want to get Reid home safe" Morgan admitted

"But... if I had his back, like I was supposed to, he'd be here now" JJ pushed

"JJ, what do you want from me?" Morgan asked

"I just... I want... someone to tell me the truth" JJ said as Lilith slammed her hands on the table.

"The truth is one of you is here, and one of you isn't" Lilith snapped before sighing

"You got to figure the rest out for yourself" Lilith said softly and walked out of the room and into the room where Hotch and Gideon were talking. They didn't even notice her.

"We're not getting any closer. How long can Reid last?" Hotch said

"Stop talking like he is already gone! He'll make it!" Lilith snapped loudly at Hotch and Gideon as Morgan and JJ walked into the room.

"Lilith… no one is saying that" Morgan said softly

"None of you understand how strong he is! Just because he is awkward and shy doesn't mean he isn't strong!" Lilith shouted crying

"Lilith…" Hotch tried to say but she stormed out of the room.

…..


	28. Chapter 28

"Tobias" Reid said softly

"Sorry. I had to leave for a while" Tobias said wrapping his belt around Reid's arm again.

"You can leave again, and you can take me with you" Reid said

"My father would be angry" Tobias said

"Not if he can't find us" Reid said

"He always finds me" Tobias muttered

"If you tell me where we are, my friends will come, and they'll save us" Reid said

"We can't be saved" Tobias said pulling out a needle

"We can. We can. I promise. If you tell me where we are, I'll save us both" Reid begged

"Listen to me. It's not worth fighting. Tell me it doesn't make it better" Tobias said as he injected Reid with the drug again.

" _Mom" 10-year old Spencer said_

" _What is it, baby?" Diana asked_

" _It's the afternoon" Spencer said_

" _I'm resting" Diana said tiredly_

" _The doctor says you need to get out of bed" Spencer said_

" _I've been reading" Diana explained_

" _He says you need exercise" Spencer added_

" _Well, that's because his idea of good literature is our bodies, ourselves" Diana said annoyed_

" _Well, he's your doctor" Spencer argued_

" _He's a Neanderthal" Diana said as Spencer sighed_

" _Where are you going?" Diana asked_

" _I'm going to see if Jeff wants to play" Spencer explained_

" _Come here. Let me read to you" Diana said as Spencer ran and jumped on the bed._

" _Pick one" Diana said holding out some books._

" _That one" Spencer said_

" _Proust. Beautiful choice. 'The smell of the madeleine unleashing the flood of memory. for a long time, I used to go to bed early. Sometimes, when I had put out my candle, my eyes would close so quickly that I had not even time to say to myself, I'm falling asleep'" Diana read_

…..

Lilith sat on the steps outside, crying as Hotch came and sat next to her.

"I'm so sorry about that" Lilith said softly

"It's ok, we're not giving up in Reid, none of us. I know this is harder on you, not just because he is your best friend, but because of your past" Hotch said softly

"If Reid was here, what would he say to you?" Hotch asked and Lilith sat in silence for a moment.

"He would say that my knowledge of the… victim… is one of the most valuable tools we have" Lilith said and Hotch nodded.

"Let's use it then. Go over everything Reid said and make sure he wasn't trying to send any messages" Hotch said as he stood up and helped her up. Lilith walked into the kitchen with Morgan. She smiled weakly at him and he nodded back.

"We can trace their whole family history. Here we got happy, smiling pictures of Tobias. Report cards all A's and B's, but at 8 years old, we got nothing" Morgan said

"That's his mother leaving. 6 months later, on the other side of the board, we have a form from child services saying they paid a visit" Lilith added

"Then Charles starts keeping journals about punishing sinners and needing to remove the devil from his son" Morgan added

"Which corresponds to Tobias' drug use. He's trying to escape" Lilith said

"So wherever Reid is, it was Tobias' choice, not his father's" Morgan said suddenly

"How do you figure?" Lilith asked

"Look at these 2 lives. They're like inverse graphs. One's getting weaker while the other one's getting angrier. Tobias would run away. His father would have stood and fought" Morgan explained

"Ok, so Tobias uses drugs as an escape. I'll go back through the journals and see if I can find anything connecting his drug use to a hiding place" Lilith said as JJ walked into the room.

"Uh... where's Gideon?" JJ asked

"He's upstairs. Why? What's going on?" Morgan asked

"Hankel just posted the latest murder" JJ explained as Morgan went and got Gideon, Lilith pulled JJ aside.

"JJ, I want to apologise about before. This is not your fault, okay?" Lilith said firmly and JJ nodded not believing her.

"I don't understand. Why can't we shut it down?" Gideon asked as he stormed into the room with Garcia.

"Because I can't point his I.P.F" Garcia said

"Just remove it once he sends it" Gideon said annoyed

"It's the internet, sir. Once something's out there, you can never take it back" Garcia explained calmly

"Can you please do something, anything? I do not want him thinking he has a pulse" Gideon said angrily

"I have a list of everyone from the file-sharing chain. I could send out a mass warning that the video is actually a virus. I'm gonna do that" Garcia said

…

"No! They're trying to silence my message" Charles shouted at Reid

"I can't control what they do. I'm not with them. I'm with you" Reid said

"Really?" Charles asked as he played Gideon's message to Reid.

"Do you think you can defy me?" Charles asked

"I don't know what he's talking about" Reid cried

"You're a liar! You're pitiful! Just like my son. This ends now." Charles said as he turned on the camera to the team.

"Confess your sins. Confess!" Charles said and punched Reid.

"I haven't done anything. Tobias, help me" Reid cried

"He can't help you. He's weak" Charles said

"Tobias" Reid cried

"Confess your sins" Charles shouted

"Help" Reid begged as Charles threw him to the group and he started to gasp for air.

"Oh, my god. He's killing him" Garcia cried as Gideon and she watched and Gideon stormed out of the room.

"You did the right thing. You had to stop the video. You did the right thing. There's no question" Gideon paced the room.

"Jason!" Hotch said as the team watched as Tobias ran back into the room and started giving CPR to Reid.

"Come on…" Lilith begged before sighing in relief as Reid started to breathe again.

"Wait. Wait a second. When was the video of the last murder posted?" Lilith asked suddenly

"9:23" Garcia said

"And what was the time of death?" Lilith asked

"The 911 call came in at 9:04, and the murder must have been moments later" Hotch explained

"That's only a 19-minute difference" JJ said

"How long would it take to post the mpeg?" Morgan asked

"2 or 3 minutes" Garcia explained

"Let's call it 2. You figure a maximum of 60 miles an hour in a residential area. That means Hankle has to be within a 17-mile radius of the crime scene" Morgan said

"Garcia, can we see it on a map?" Hotch asked and Garcia did so.

"Call Farraday. I want that area locked down like it's martial law" Gideon said firmly

"Guys" Garcia said as they looked back at the video.

"You came back to life" Raphael said shocked

"Raphael" Reid said

"There can be only one of two reasons" Raphael said simply

"I was given C.P.R" Reid coughed

"There are no accidents. How many members are on your team?" Raphael asked

"7" Reid answered

"The 7 angels who had the 7 trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first sounding followed hail and they were thrown to earth" Raphael stated

"He thinks it's revelations- the 7 archangels versus the 7 angels of death" Hotch explained as he sat Reid back up straight.

"Tell me who you serve" Raphael said

"I serve you" Reid said simply

"Then choose one to die" Raphael said

"What?" Reid asked confused

"Your team members- choose one to die" Raphael stated

"Kill me" Reid said firmly

"You said you weren't one of them" Raphael said firmly

"I lied" Reid said simply

"Your team has 6 other members. Tell me who dies" Raphael said

"No" Reid refused and Raphael pulled out a gun and pointed it at Reid's head.

"Choose, and prove you'll do god's will" Raphael explained

"No" Reid said firmly and Raphael pulled the trigger but it was empty.

"Choose" He said firmly

"I won't do it" Reid refused and Raphael pulled the trigger again.

"Life is a choice" Raphael said

"No" Reid said and the trigger was pulled again.

"Choose" Raphael said firmly

"I... I choose... Aaron Hotch. He's a classic narcissist. He thinks he's better than everyone else on the team. Genesis 23:4. "Let him not deceive himself " and trust in emptiness, vanity, falseness, and futility, for these shall be his recompense" Reid quoted as Lilith walked out of the room with Hotch following her.

"I'm not a narcissist" Hotch said to the team as they followed.

"Come on. Look. You can't think anything from that. He's not in his right mind, Hotch" Gideon said

"No. Stop. Shut up!" Lilith shouted

'All right, everybody right now- what's Hotch's worst quality?" Lilith asked but the room remained silent.

"What is this about?" Hotch asked

"Trust me" Lilith said

"Ok. I'll start. I have no sense of humour" Hotch said

"You're a bully" JJ said

"You can be a drill sergeant sometimes" Morgan added

"You don't trust women as much as men" JJ added as Lilith read the bible.

"Ok, good. He is all these things, but none of you said that he ever put himself above the team, because he doesn't, ever. Reid and I argued about the definition of classic narcissism, and he knew that I would remember that, and he also quoted genesis, chapter 23, verse 4. Read it" Lilith said handing the bible to Hotch.

"'I am a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me property, forbear a place among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight'" Hotch read

"He wouldn't get it wrong unless it was on purpose" Lilith added

"He's in a cemetery" Morgan said as they walked back into the room with Garcia.

"I don't see a cemetery" Garcia said

"Call up the first time we saw Reid" Lilith said and Garcia did so.

"I won't choose who gets slaughtered and have you leave their remains behind like a poacher" Reid said

"Check to see if there are any reports of poaching in the last couple of days" Hotch said

"Ok. Uh... a farmer reported 2 sheep being slaughtered on his property" Garcia explained

"Where are we talking?" Morgan asked and Garcia updated the map.

"What's that patch of green there?" JJ asked

"Marshall parish. I think it's an old plantation" Hotch said

"Wait. Tobias wrote in his journals about staying clean and keeping away from Marshall" Lilith said

"Guys, there's a cemetery on the grounds" Garcia said

"Well done, you used your tools" Hotch said to Lilith and patted her on the back as they left the house.

…

"Tobias, is that you?" Reid asked as he drunk some water. Tobias nodded.

"Thank you. You saved my life" Reid said softly

"I'm sorry" Tobias said

"Why?" Reid asked

"He'll win in the end" Tobias said as he got another vial of drug out.

"Tobias, I need to know something. It's important. Are we in a cemetery?" Reid asked

"Yeah. I used to come here to get high" Tobias admitted as he injected Reid again.

"I was right" Reid said smiling

"No one bothers you here. I never told anyone about it" Tobias said before Reid fell back into another drug induced memory.

" _What are these men doing here?" Diana asked an 18-year old Spencer._

" _They're from a hospital. They're here to help" Reid said_

" _I don't need help, and you can't be here without permission. Tell them, Spencer" Diana said_

" _I called them" Reid admitted_

" _Spencer" Diana begged_

" _I'm doing this for you" Reid said softly_

' _This isn't legal" Diana said_

" _Your son's 18, ma'am. He can act in your welfare" The stranger said._

" _You need help" Reid whispered_

" _I want to stay here" Diana cried_

" _I'm sorry" Reid said_

" _Please, these are my things. This is my life" Diana cried as the men took her away._

" _I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" Reid said_

"I'm so sorry" Reid said coming out of his drug-induced state.

"What are you sorry for, boy?" Charles asked

"I sent her away" Reid whispered

"Who? Charles asked

"My mom. I couldn't... I couldn't help her" Reid cried

"Is that a confession?" Charles asked

"I confess" Reid said nodding

"You know your bible. Exodus 21:17" Charles said

"'And he that curseth his father or his mother... shall surely be put to death'" Reid quoted as Charles walked over and took off his cuffs.

"Grab a shovel" Charles said

They walked through the cemetery and Charles ordered Reid to start digging.

"I ought to bury you alive in there, give you time to think about what you done" Charles said

"I know what I've done" Reid replied

"Don't talk back to me. Dig" Charles ordered

Reid saw lights in the distance and knew it was his team.

"What are you stopping for?" Charles asked

"Dig faster!" He ordered

"I'm not strong enough" Reid whispered

"You're all weak!" He growled as Reid grabbed his gun.

"Only one bullet in that gun, boy" Charles said and Reid pulled the trigger, killing Tobias.

"Reid!" Gideon shouted

"Over there" Morgan shouted as Reid crawled over to Tobias, kicked his gun away.

"You killed him" Tobias said happily

"Tobias?" Reid asked

"Do you think I'll get to see my mom again?" Tobias asked

"I'm sorry" Reid whispered as Lilith ran towards him and skidded to a halt on her knees next to him.

"Reid" She whispered and pulled Reid tightly to her. She kissed his cheek, crying.

"You all right?" She asked as she helped him stand up.

"I knew you'd understand" Reid whispered before turning to Hotch and hugging him.

"I'm so sorry" JJ said as they hugged

"It's all right. It wasn't your fault" Reid said

"Let's get you out of here" Gideon said as Gideon and Lilith wrapped Reid's arms around her.

"Come on" Lilith said before Reid pulled back.

"Please... can I have a second alone?" Reid asked and Gideon and Lilith nodded.

Reid walked over to Tobias's body and took the remaining dilaudid.

...


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 7 – Fear and Loathing**

Lilith walked in to the bull pen tired, she went to grab a coffee but split it everywhere.

"Damn it" She swore as she held her burnt finger.

"Big weekend, Fallon?" Morgan asked laughing, walking over to her.

"Not in the way you think" Lilith muttered

"What's wrong?" Morgan asked worried

"Nightmares" Lilith muttered and Morgan looked at her sadly.

"Look, forget about it ok. I've had nightmares more than half of my life. I can deal with them" Lilith added as Hotch walked over to them.

"Conference room in 5 minutes, please?" Hotch asked

"Got it" Morgan said with a sigh.

They walked into the room to find Reid, Hotch and Gideon with JJ.

"Sandra Davis, 16 years old. This is her singing at her high school talent show a month ago. This is her on-Again, Off-Again boyfriend, Ken Newcombe. Their bodies were found in a park Near the male victim's car in Groton, An affluent, mostly white suburb of New York City in Westchester county. It's the third of 3 killings believed to be a series of hate crimes" JJ explained

"Hate crimes?" Lilith asked

"The first 2 victims were Keisha Andrews, 15, and Vickie Williams, 17. They disappeared from their homes in central Westchester one night. Their bodies were found in a wooded area in a southern part of the county near the city" Hotch explained as JJ flipped through the photos of the victims and their bodies found on leaves. Lilith saw Reid flinch before going back too normal.

"Strangled, beaten, stabbed" Gideon said

"And this was painted on their faces" JJ added as she showed pictures of the Nazi symbol.

"What about this couple? How were they part of it?" Morgan asked

"Another swastika. This one on the boyfriend's car" JJ explained

"It's a different victimology" Lilith said

"Maybe just an escalation" Morgan said

"Or a different killer, and it doesn't end there. Yesterday an African-American community leader, a reverend Williams, decided to take this on as a political issue. Racial hate in the suburbs" Hotch explained as he pressed play on a video.

"What we are seeing is pure apathy. Black kids are getting killed and the police are doing nothing to stop it. When will these racists be confronted?" Williams asked angrily

"Apparently, in response to reverend Williams' muckraking, a black kid was beaten on the streets of Groton this afternoon. Connecticut neo-Nazi group called the white stallions claimed responsibility" JJ explained

"There are neo-Nazi groups in Connecticut?" Lilith asked

"The mayor of Groton called me this morning, frantic. He is desperate to solve these crimes before it escalates even more" JJ said as Reid looked at the photos and rubbed his face as if trying to rub away memories.

"What are the racial demographics of Groton?" Gideon asked

"Population 42,000. 8% black" JJ said

"I'd say the mayor has reason to be worried. If it doesn't stop soon, it could flare up into a full scale race-war" Gideon said seriously as Lilith watched Reid worried, noting he has been very quiet.

…

"New York, New York" JJ said looking out the window of the jet.

"Too bad we're flying straight to the suburbs" Morgan joked

"Hey, this is weird. There are traces of G.H.B. found in the first two victims but no sign of sexual assault. So... why would the unsub use a date-rape drug to commit a hate crime?" Lilith asked

"Maybe he wants to weaken them so they can't fight back" Reid suggested

"But there was no G. H. B. In the victims of the double homicide" Lilith stated

"There's a lot that's different about the double homicide" Morgan said

"The question is why" Hotch asked

"All right, we just got new information. A few weeks before the murder of Sandra Davis and Ken Newcombe, a threatening letter was delivered to Sandra Davis' door. She showed it to her parents, who then notified the police. The police never figured out who wrote it" JJ explained as she handed the copy of the note to Reid.

"'We see Ken with you and it makes us sick. Take care to stop this now, or you will pay. If you tell anyone about this, you will pay"' Reid read

"Strange. Doesn't seem real" Reid commented

"What do you mean?" JJ asked confused

"First of all, the use of 'we' in a threat this direct is almost always bogus" Reid said

"One individual trying to diffuse responsibility" Lilith explained

"Also, the message itself seems contradictory. On the one hand, "take care to stop this now, or you will pay"? Presumably, they want then to stop seeing each other. But then, on the other hand, they don't want them to go public with it. 'If you tell anyone about this, you will pay'" Reid explained

"The point of hate crimes is to increase publicity, not decrease it. It's like terrorism" Hotch added

"An effective threat let's everybody know that they're in danger if they do this behaviour. The author would want Sandra to tell people about the note" Reid explained

"Doesn't sound like a guy who's actually prepared to kill" JJ said

"Actually, it... doesn't sound like a guy at all. "Take care to stop this" Implies empathy. "Take care"? Males don't use this type of language, especially when they're trained to threaten somebody. This message is certainly written by a female, and based on the lack of psychological sophistication, I'd say it's most likely an adolescent" Reid explained

"You think a girl killed these kids?" JJ asked

"I think a girl wrote this note" Reid replied

"Let's call that mystery number one" Gideon said

"You got a number 2?" Hotch asked

"Maybe. Says here the autopsy on Sandra Davis was inconclusive" Gideon said

"She suffered blunt force trauma to the face, she had some bruising around her neck. Cause of death is still unclear. Coroner's working on it" JJ explained

"A lot of questions. Let's get started on some answers" Hotch said simply

…..

"Agent Jareau, Gregory Hughes" Hughes said shaking hands with JJ.

'Mayor Hughes' JJ said

"This is Detective Rick Ware from the state police department. We haven't had a murder here in 2 years, you understand. This was way above our heads. So we put Rick in charge" Hughes explained

"These are Agents Gideon, Hotchner, Morgan, and Fallon" JJ introduced

"I have to say that what's been happening here the last few weeks Is... It's just hard to fathom. I mean, we're 30 minutes from the city" Rick said

"What do you mean?" Hotch asked

"Well, this isn't the deep south. For the most part, these are sophisticated New Yorkers" Rick said

"Are you saying you don't think this is a race issue?" Morgan asked

"All we're saying is whatever happened here is way out of the norm for this community. I wouldn't want you entering this investigation under assumptions that... well, aren't true" Rick said simply

"Fact is; we don't know what this is about yet" Gideon said

"We need to concentrate on the double murder and make sure that it's the same killer, first of all" Hotch said

"You mean there could be more than one?" Hughes asked

"We don't know that yet. All we do know is the threat sent to Sandra Davis was written by an adolescent girl" Morgan said

"You can tell that just from a half a page note?" Rick said

"It's pretty straightforward profiling" Morgan said as Rick shared a look with a local cop.

"Is there a problem, officer?" Gideon asked

"Uh, there was a girl that we suspected at first, but then we talked to her and dismissed her" The local said

"I'd like to meet her" Morgan said

"I think it's a waste of time" Rick said

"I'd like to decide that for myself" Morgan said firmly

"Sandra showed us the note 2 weeks before she was killed. We asked around the school for who might have a grudge against Sandra and Ken. The only girl's name that came up was Tonya Mathis. Rumour was Ken dumped her for Sandra, although ken told me Tonya was never his girlfriend" Rick explained to Morgan and Lilith as they walked through the local station.

"You said you talked to Tonya about the note. What did she say?" Morgan asked

"She swore up and down she had nothing to do with it. I find it pretty hard to believe she'd write a racist note" Rick said

"Why is that?" Lilith asked

"See for yourself" Rick said, opening the door to reveal a black teenage girl.

"That's Tonya?" Lilith asked

"In the flesh" Rick replied

"Leave her in there for a few minutes" Morgan said

"You're gonna make a 17-Year-Old girl sweat?" Rick asked

"I want to scare the hell out of her" Morgan replied

….


	30. Chapter 30

"Did these kids live near here?" Hotch asked Officer Cale as they arrived at the crime scene.

"Sandra Davis lived about 1/2 mile west. Ken Newcombe about a mile east" Cale asked

"What were they doing here?" Hotch asked

"When I was a kid, I used to hang out in the park at night, drink beers, hook up with a girl" Cale explained

"Maybe, but I don't think these two were out on a date" Hotch said

"Why do you say that?" Cale asked

"Well, as Ken was wearing a sweatshirt and tennis shoes, Sandra was wearing a dress, high heels, and makeup. She was definitely dressed to go out" Hotch said

"Ken's body was found here?" Gideon asked

"Yeah. And Sandra here" Cale said

"But from the bloodstains, it was obvious that she was killed there and then dragged here" Cale explained

"So the unsub shot Ken first, Sandra started to run and he chased her down. Beat her and strangled her" Gideon said

"He had a gun, why didn't he shoot her, too?" Hotch asked

"Killer knew he could overpower her, maybe he didn't think he could overpower Ken" Cale suggested

"No, it's more than that. The killer took the time and risked her escaping to track her down and strangle her with his bare hands. He was completely focused on her" Hotch said

"Sandra didn't have a date with Ken. She had a date with the unsub" Gideon said

….

"Hello, Tonya. I'm Agent Morgan, this is Agent Fallon. We're with the F. B. I" Morgan introduced as they walked into the room and sat down opposite her.

"F. B. I.?" Tonya asked confused

"I'm gonna get right to the point. Writing a threat like this? It's a federal crime" Morgan said harshly

"I told him I didn't write that note" Tonya said firmly

"Oh, I know what you told him. But this is not the principal's office, you understand? The people you threatened are dead" Morgan said firmly

"I didn't kill anybody" Tonya said

"I know that" Lilith said

"I got it" Lilith said to Morgan

"But we need to know why you wrote that note. You were angry with Ken because he didn't acknowledge you. I get it. He didn't admit that you were his girlfriend" Lilith said kindly

"I was his girlfriend" Tonya said firmly

"Yeah. What about Sandra? She's the one who got the note. Why were you so angry with her, Tonya? Oh, this isn't just about her going with Ken, Is it, Tonya? That note says "we. " You wanted to make it look like other people were in on it. Like the whole town was against her. Why? Is that the way she made you feel? Like everybody was against you?" Lilith asked

"It was that stupid talent shows" Tonya said sighing

"What talent show?" Morgan asked

"I was just as good as her. She was just this quiet little girl who nobody liked. Then she sings, and suddenly she's all little miss popular, and Ken's all over her. It's not fair" Tonya said to Lilith

"So, Tonya... Look at me. You wrote this note for revenge, didn't you?" Morgan asked

"I know it was stupid. But I just wanted to scare them. I'm sorry" Tonya said crying as Morgan and Lilith walked out of the room.

"We called Tonya's family and friends. We're checking her out" Rick said to Morgan.

"That girl didn't kill those kids" Morgan said and walked out.

….

Reid walked into the men's room and checked all the stalls before locking the door, quickly. He looked at himself in the mirror before pulling out the Dilaudid he stole from Hankle.

"Anybody seen Reid?" Gideon called out, breaking Reid from his thoughts.

"Where's Reid?" Gideon asked as Reid ran from the bathroom and over to Hotch.

"Coroner's report" Reid said handing it to Hotch.

"'Victim had been beaten so extensively, the cause of death was indeterminate. Post-Mortem stab wounds were also discovered"' Hotch read

"Post-Mortem stabs, huh?" Morgan asked as Lilith looked at Reid worried.

"What?" Rick asked breaking her from her thoughts of Reid.

"Post-Mortem stab wounds almost always indicate sexual homicide" Hotch said

"Uh, this is also a fairly extreme overkill, which is markedly different from the other 2 girls" Reid added

"So you're saying this was a different killer" Rick stated

"No, we're saying if it was the same killer, the overkill indicates he didn't get what he wanted from Sandra" Hotch said

"What he wanted?" Rick asked as Lilith watched Reid get lost in his own thoughts.

"Sexual predators kill for sexual needs. And in this case, there's no sign of sexual assault on his victims. That tells us that he probably fetishizes. Takes some souvenir from his victims that he uses to get off" Morgan explained

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but this doesn't sound like the MO of a hate crime" Rick said

"No, we're pretty certain that hate wasn't the primary motive at all" Hotch said

"He has a specific physical type and he tries to cover his tracks" Lilith added

"He is a serial killer" Gideon finished

….

"And when did the F. B. I. Finally arrive? Only after a white boy was killed. We cannot rely on the police. We must protect ourselves. Let the people who are taking our daughters know they will not get away with this" Williams shouted to the reporters as the team watched from the police station.

"That's not helpful" Gideon muttered as they turned the TV off.

"Explain this to me. The swastikas on the bodies. What do they mean?" Rick asked

"They're a distraction. For us, this killer isn't driven by hate, but he wants us to think so, so we won't guess his real motive, which is serial sexual homicide" Hotch explained

"I'm confident the unsubs from this county. He knew the kind of hysteria that would flare up from these swastikas" Gideon explained

"Reverend Williams took the bait" Rick added

"JJ's is trying to buy us some time. She's talking to the reverend to see if he'll cool his rhetoric a little bit" Hotch explained

"Hate crimes are political. If we're right, this was personal" Gideon said

"Well, we need to confirm that the double homicide is linked to the first 2 murders" Hotch explained

"We need to speak to the families of the victims" Morgan stated

"Give me a second" Lilith muttered and left the room in search of Reid.

"Reid?" Lilith called out confused when she couldn't find him. She heard some noise from the bathroom and Reid appeared looking guilty and a hand protectively over his bag.

"What's up?" Reid asked confused

"Are you okay?" Lilith asked softly

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just had to go to the bathroom, is that problem?" Reid asked impatiently before leaving Lilith stunned.

…

Gideon, Morgan and Lilith went to visit one family at their house.

"We know how difficult this is for you. Thanks for talking to us" Gideon said as Morgan looked around the bedroom.

"She just disappeared that night. I know she must have just walked out the front door, but I thought we'd hear that" The mother said

"What about the window in your daughter's bedroom?" Morgan asked

"She couldn't have climbed out there. It's been painted shut for years" The father said

"No, it hasn't" A young girl said, walking into the room.

"What are you talking about, Bree?" The father asked

"I fixed it so I could get out" Bree explained

"You've been sneaking out in the middle of the night?" The mother asked

"I'm sorry" Bree said

"You're not in trouble. But just tell me, did she sneak out before?" The father asked

"No, I swear. She always told me not to do it. She was the good one. She didn't deserve this" Bree said

"Nobody deserves this" Lilith said firmly

"Your daughter liked to sing?" Gideon asked looking around the house.

….


	31. Chapter 31

**Authors Note: Just a quick message to say thank you to everyone who has been reading my story and reviewing but for those who are telling me to include more original scenes please just be patient. I have written it this way for a reason and as Reid gets worse we learn more about Lilith and him so obviously there will be more original scenes then. Thank You.**

"We dug up everything on the first 2 victims, and basically these girls were good students who stayed out of trouble" Hotch said once the team got back together at the police station.

"Just like Sandra Davis" Lilith stated, she looked around but realised Reid wasn't with them.

"And we found something else. They both liked to sing. One in church, and one in a band. Their parents said that this was their passion" Hotch added

"Just like Sandra Davis" Morgan stated

"African-American girls between the ages of 15 and 17 who like to sing? That's a pretty specific type. Sounds like the same unsub to me. And the fact that they all sing, that could be part of his MO. Maybe part of a ruse" Lilith explained

"Another girl went missing. A Naomi Dade. 16 years old" Rick said walking into the room.

"When?" Hotch asked confused

"Last night" Rick explained

"Why are we just finding out about it now?" Gideon asked

"First victims weren't found for a couple of days, there's a chance she's still alive" Hotch said quickly

"Let's get to the profile before it's too late" Gideon added as the team gathered their files and met up with the locals, Reid now joined them.

"Suspect we're looking for is a black male, statistically between the ages of 20 and 35. We know he's black because of his victims" Hotch explained

"Sexually motivated killers almost always kill within their own race" Lilith said

"The victims he's chosen are good girls. They're good students. No behavioural problems. They're what we call 'Low-Risk'" Morgan explained

"And the lower the risk of the victim, the higher the intelligence of the unsub" Lilith added

"Guy's a smooth talker. Makes people feel at ease. Gains their confidence. You'd be amazed what these guys can talk people into" Gideon stated

"Jeffrey Dahmer was once pulled over by police officers for driving over the center line. He'd thrown the garbage bag full of body parts in the back seat of his car, but he was so calm and so self-assured, that he convinced the officers not to look in the bag. He then went on to kill at least 15 more people" Reid explained

"This guy's a hustler. He may not have a lot of education, but he knows how to treat impressionable young girls. Victor Palaeologus used to troll shopping malls pretending to be a movie producer. He told Kristine Johnson he could get her a role for a James Bond movie. And that was the last time she was ever seen alive" Hotch explained

"We think that because all these girls are singers, that the unsub may be connected in some way to the recording industry" Lilith added

"We know the unsub has a vehicle. Big enough to transport a body. It's clean. It's not too old. Nice enough to make a girl feel comfortable inside, but it's not flashy. This is not a guy who wants to attract attention to himself" Morgan explained

"Probably a large, dark Sedan" Hotch added

"We recommend putting this profile on the news, the paper, anywhere it might be seen by the people in this town" JJ suggested

"This guy's ruse didn't work on everybody. Somewhere out there is at least one woman who didn't fall for his game, and... that's who we need to find" Morgan said as JJ's phone went off.

"The key to this unsub's psychology Is the souvenir he takes. We don't know what it is yet, but... We know that once he has it, His victim then becomes disposable, and that's when he kills her" Hotch explained

"The unsub's ritual was interrupted when he killed Sandra Davis. We don't believe he was able to take a souvenir from her. We think he may revisit her house or any place she may have frequented" Gideon added

"We recommend surveillance in locations where the unsub might approach young girls. Churches, high schools, Libraries, coffee shops" Hotch explained

"Stick with the community. The people of this county should be able to offer some good leads. Thanks a lot. Good luck" Gideon added

"You think community vigilance will be enough?" Hotch asked Gideon

"If it were, we'd be out of a job" Gideon joked

"I'm not telling you not to do your job" Hughes said to the police men

"Jason" Hotch said

"Just want to make sure that we don't get ahead of ourselves" Hughes said

"What's he doing?" Gideon asked they walked over to him.

"So please just sit tight one more minute" Hughes begged

"What's the problem?" Hotch asked

"Well, the problem is I would have to be crazy to release this profile to the public" Hughes said firmly

"What are you talking about?" Morgan asked

"Reverend Williams has already stirred up enough trouble by choosing to make this town a soapbox for his anti-Racism campaign. What do you think is gonna happen if I go to the press and tell them the killer is black?" Hughes asked angrily

"Hey. The best way to stop all this is to find that killer and we just gave you the best way to do that" Morgan said firmly

"Right. By telling everybody to look out a for an anonymous black man? They're gonna say that's racial profiling" Hughes argued

"It's not racial profiling. Racial profiling is targeting suspects because of their race. We gave you a complete profile which includes race" Gideon explained

"All right, look. The point is I've never even heard of a black serial killer. And neither have all the African-Americans in this community already upset by what's been happening here" Hughes said

"You can believe in black serial killers or not, But the fact is they do exist. And it's only a matter of time before he kills another girl" Hotch stated

"All right, look. I am not interested in debating this Detective Ware is more than capable

of heading this investigation" Hughes said firmly

"You gonna let this happen?" Morgan asked

"Let what happen? Make every black man in this county a target?" Rick asked

"Rick" Cale said walking over to them.

"What?" Rick snapped

"We found Naomi Dade's body" Cale said

"Damn it" Rick muttered

"We got a mass of reporters out there" JJ said walking over.

"What's it gonna be, Detective?" Morgan asked

"Please. Let us help you" Gideon said

…..

"Finally, I want to assure you we considered all options, and we're certain this is the best course of action. Thank you" Rick said to the press before walking back over to the team.

"Detective, I think you made the right choice" Hotch said

"I hope this doesn't come back to bite us in the ass" Rick said

"Why would it?" Lilith asked

"Why? Last thing I need is to spread fear that a dangerous black man running around this county" Rick replied

"Best way to solve your problem is to stay focused on what we need to do to catch this guy" Hotch said

"Tell me. Tell me what to do" Rick said simply

"We need to get the word out... Not just on the news. We need to talk to these kids face to face. Gotta give them the profile" Gideon said

"What about the talent show that Sandra Davis sang in at her high school? that could be where the unsub saw her sing" Lilith suggested

"That's a good idea. Talk to the kids at her high school" Gideon said as Lilith took off.

"Set up a tip line" Gideon told JJ

"Yeah, you got it" JJ said walking off.

"Well, I hate waiting around. So, what do you say, Ware? Want to join the patrols? Get back on the street? Pretend to be a beat cop again?" Morgan asked

"Yeah. Beats waiting around here for more bodies, don't it?" Rick said

"Let's do it" Morgan said as they left the room.

"Tips have just started to come in. So far, we have fingers pointed at a minister... a janitor at his school, and... Oh! The reverend Jesse Jackson" JJ explained as Reid, Hotch and Gideon stayed back at the station.

"Is anything useful?" Gideon asked

"Not so much" JJ replied

"Keep digging" Gideon said

"Hey, uh, I got someone who remembers seeing a black guy they didn't recognize driving around in a black Lincoln in front of our last victim's house yesterday" Cale said

"That's the second sighting for that vehicle" JJ said suddenly

"It fits the profile... large, dark Sedan" Reid added

"Include it in the press release" Gideon told JJ

"Yeah" JJ said walking off.

….


	32. Chapter 32

"Yeah, I got it. Suspect maybe driving a black town car" Morgan told Rick as they sat in the car.

"Maybe?" Rick asked

"It's something" Morgan said

"For what it's worth, um... took balls to stand up to the mayor like that" Morgan said

"You would've done the same thing" Rick said

"I don't have to work for the guy" Morgan joked

"I know that was a tough decision" Morgan added seriously

"Don't you ever wish it didn't matter?" Rick asked

"It?" Morgan asked

"Color" Rick explained

"Judge me by the content of my character" Morgan quoted

"I mean; why does it even have to be part of the equation? People are dying. We need to get the bad guy. That should be it. No half-Cocked reverends running around, getting people mad about the wrong thing. No mayors so afraid of offending black folks, he doesn't even want to tell the community what to look out for. It's exhausting sometimes" Rick muttered

"It's the way. Politicians, community leaders... They do what they do. You and me... We do what we do. We're the foot soldiers in these streets getting the job done" Morgan stated

"Foot soldiers. Right" Rick said

"Only ones whoever really get results, you know what I'm saying'?" Morgan joked

"Ware Right there. It's a black town car" Morgan said suddenly as they saw a car drive past.

"Yeah, just a few blocks from Sandra Davis' house" Rick said turning on his car.

"He's turning right. Turn right here. There it is" Morgan said as they found the car pulled over. They pulled up behind it and got their guns out.

"Nothing" Morgan said looking in the empty car.

"You hear that?" Rick asked and they moved towards the sound. Morgan went around back as Rick moved forward.

"It's a false alarm. It's just a car service" Morgan said as he went back out the front.

"All right. I'll be right out" Rick replied through the comms unit before a gun shot went off.

"I got him! I got him!" The man said, holding a gun.

"What the hell are you doing?!' Morgan yelled

"Freeze!" He shouted and pointed his gun at Morgan.

"Put down your weapon. The cops, damn it. I'm F.B.I" Morgan shouted

"What?" The man asked shocked

"Listen to me. Do not shoot. I'm gonna reach in my back pocket and grab my wallet. All right? All right?!" Morgan shouted and showed him his badge.

"I'm F.B.I, man" Morgan said

"I didn't know" The man said shocked

"Give me your gun. Give me your gun!" Morgan said and grabbed his gun.

"Call 9-1-1. This man needs help. Go! Call 9-1-1!" Morgan shouted as the man ran off and Morgan ran over to Rick.

"Ware, nah, nah, nah. Come on, man. Nah. Hey. Look at me. Look at me. Ware, you're going to be all right. I'll get you some help, Ware. Talk to me. Hey, just talk to me. I'm right here. Tell me about that family of yours. Huh? You got 2 kids, right? Yeah. I saw those pictures in your car. What's your little one's name? Huh?" Morgan asked

"D-Dwayne" Rick coughed out

"Dwayne. All right, that's good. That's good. Come on. I got you, man. You ain't going nowhere. All right? All right? Tell me about Dwayne? How old is he?" Morgan asked

"Uhh. Uh..." Rick tried to speak

"Come on. Ware, talk to me. Say it. Hey... Hey. Don't you leave me. No. Come on. Don't you do this. Ware! Ware! No. Come on, man. Ware! Ware!" Morgan shouted as Rick's eyes closed.

…..

"What the hell happened?" Hotch asked walking over to Cale and the man who shot Rick.

"I didn't know he was a cop. W-We saw this black car parked in front of our house. This black guy with a gun sneaking around the yard" The man explained scared

"So, you shot him?" Hotch asked annoyed

"I... I was scared. I got a family" Cale explained

'So did Detective Ware" Cale relied before shutting the door on him.

"Where's Morgan?" Hotch asked

"Back here" Cale said and lead him over to Morgan, who was sitting in the gutter.

"You ok?" Hotch asked and Morgan just shook his head sadly. Hotch's phone rang.

"Yeah, JJ" Hotch said answering the phone.

"You're kidding" Hotch said

"Another girl just went missing" Hotch said to Morgan.

"All right, we're on our way" Hotch said to JJ before hanging up.

"The girl's name is Ally Hadley. She told her mom she was sleeping over at a friend's house, but she never showed up there" JJ told Gideon after calling Hotch.

"Well, are we sure she's just out with some other friends or a guy or..." Gideon asked

"She says she never does this. She a…" Gideon started to say

"Good girl" Gideon finished

"Yeah. She's African-American. 15 years old. She loves to sing" JJ continued as Reid ran into the room.

"Guys we got a witness. A girl who saw the report on the news. She says a guy came up to her about a month ago, claiming to work for a record company. She's on the way in" Reid explained

"I'll call the others" JJ said

….

"It was after choir practice at the church. He came up to me outside... This black guy. Told me he was an executive at some record company and he goes to churches in the area to scout talent. He said I had a great voice, and he'd like to record me" The girl explained to Morgan and Gideon

"What did you say?" Gideon asked

"I told him I wasn't interested. He gave me some kind of business card and told me to call him if I changed my mind. It didn't even have a company name on it... Just his name and a phone number. It looked so fake. How could anyone fall for that?" The girl asked

"Do you have the card?" Gideon asked

"I didn't have to keep the card" The girl stated

"Why?" Gideon asked

"I knew him" The girl explained

Morgan and Gideon walked out of the room and called Garcia.

"I was beginning to think you guys had forgotten all about me" Garcia said pouting into the phone call to Morgan, JJ and Reid

"Well, we need you now more than ever, hot stuff" Morgan replied

"Aww, it's like candy to my ears, sugar. Go" Garcia said smiling

"All right, here's the scoop. The guy's a freelance musician. Played keyboard for the girls' high school musical. We contacted the school, and they gave us a name... Terrance Wakeland" Morgan explained

"In the New York metropolitan area Including Westchester county. Computer says 3" Garcia explained

"He may work at a recording studio or record company" Reid added

"Ok, I'm going to cross reference with I. R. S. Records. Gotcha. Mount Vernon, just outside the Bronx. A & l studios... Looks like they went belly-up a few months ago. But he still works there as a security guard" Garcia explained

"Thanks, mama. You're the best. Let's go" Morgan said hanging up.

…

"I'll cover the door" Cale said as they opened the door and moved through the building.

"Right there. Go" Morgan said to Hotch

"Check the back" Morgan said as Hotch moved silently through the building.

"Morgan!" Hotch called out and Morgan found him quickly.

"Door are wide open, lights are on. Somebody left in a hurry" Morgan said

"There was definitely a struggle" Hotch said

"So, maybe she's still alive" Morgan said

"They were here. And maybe she tried to flee. She could be in the neighbourhood, trying to get away" Hotch said

"Hotch, look at this. It's the voices, man, His souvenirs" Morgan said showing him some .

"Let's go" Hotch said firmly

They jumped in the car and drove around until they found him with the girl talking to a police officer.

"There they are" Hotch said as they jumped out of the car.

"Wakeland, F.B.I! Don't move!" Morgan shouted as they all pointed their guns at Wakeland.

"What's going on?" Wakeland asked

"Let her go" Hotch said firmly

"What did I do?" Wakeland asked

"Let her go" Hotch said firmly

"I know you think this about those murdered girls, right?" Wakeland asked

"He won't let her go" The newest cop said

"He could be armed" Cale replied

"Just calm down!" Morgan said firmly

"Hey, what the hell are you waiting for?!" A local said

"Do not shoot! I want you to calm down, put your weapons down so we can move in. Do it! Do it!" Morgan shouted at the locals.

"Wakeland, get away from the girl. Turn around" Morgan said firmly

"Hands on your head" Cale added as Wakeland reluctantly did so. Hotch ran in and grabbed Ally.

"Let's go" Morgan said angrily as they arrested Wakeland.

…

Lilith walked through the jet and placed a coffee in front of Reid and then one in front of her.

"You all right?" Lilith asked but got no response.

"Reid" Lilith said gaining his attention

"Hmm?" Reid asked confused

"I said, are you all right?" Lilith asked again

"I'm fine. Thanks for broadcasting it" Reid said annoyed

"Hey, talk to me. Whatever you say to me in confidence is between us. You know that right?" Lilith asked softly

"I don't have anything to tell you" Reid said simply

"Reid, listen to me. What you went through out there, nobody expects you to rebound..." Lilith stated

"I can still do my job, all right. I'm not gonna freak out" Reid snapped

"You think _I_ don't know that" Lilith asked confused

"It's the crime scene photos" Reid said softly

"Crime scene photos?'" Lilith asked

"The dead girls in the leaves" Reid whispered

"Reid, we've seen worse" Lilith said confused

"I know. I know we've seen worse, but… for the first time, I know. I look at them, and... I look at them and I... I know what they were thinking. And I know what they were feeling, like, right before" Reid whispered

"That's called empathy. And it's a good thing" Lilith said firmly

"It's not. It's got me all messed up. I don't know how to focus. I can't do my job as well. So, what do I do?" Reid asked scared

"You use it. Let is make you a better profiler, a better person" Lilith said firmly

"A better person" Reid repeated and Lilith nodded

"You still coming over tonight?" Lilith asked and Reid looked confused

"You said you were going to come over because you bailed on our plans over the weekend?" Lilith reminded him confused

"Oh yeah, um… sorry, something has come up" Reid said and Lilith forced a smile and nodded.

"Okay… no problem" Lilith said softly.

…..


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 8 – Distress**

Lilith sat at a local café looking at her watch impatiently. She got out her phone and called Reid but only got his voicemail.

"Reid, where are you? You were supposed to meet me at the café half an hour ago!" Lilith said annoyed before her phone beeped. She looked at it and sighed.

"As I'm sure you know, we got a new case so I guess I'll just meet you at the office in a few minutes" Lilith said sighing before hanging up. She finished her coffee and walked the few blocks to the office.

"Fallon!" Morgan called out as they walked towards the door together.

"Hey Morgan" Lilith said still a bit upset about Reid.

"What's up?" Morgan asked

"Just… the last few weeks Reid has been bailing on our plans last minute or even forgetting that part and I'm left waiting at the café by myself" Lilith said softly

"That what happen this morning?" Morgan asked and she nodded as they walked out of the elevator and found JJ.

"Hey, have you talked to Reid? He didn't reply to my message about the case" JJ said and Lilith sighed before walking through the bullpen to the conference room, her phone to her ear.

"Come on Reid, pick up" Lilith muttered but once again it went to voicemail. She looked at the phone worried before walking into the conference room where Hotch, Gideon, JJ and Morgan were waiting.

"Reid?" Hotch asked

"Still no answer…" Lilith said softly and the team shared a worried looked before getting started.

"This is Houston's fifth ward. It accounts for a large percent of the city's growing homicide rate, due to gang violence and a bustling narcotics trade. Although in the last 48 hours, there have been 3 distinctive murders in the ward" JJ explained

"Distinctive?" Morgan asked

"3 men, 3 different socioeconomic groups, all killed on the street with their necks snapped. There appears to be no other injury, and there's no apparent connection between the victims or motive" JJ explained as Reid walked into the room, late. He was drinking a large coffee and had dark bags under his eyes. He sat down next to Lilith, ignoring everyone's looks.

"The ward's detectives are inundated with homicides. Gang violence is a big problem. Shootings, armed robberies, it's an everyday occurrence, but this type of street attack is new to them" JJ continued

"Could it be gang related, maybe some new type of initiation rite?" Lilith asked

"The gangs in the ward use guns. In fact, no known gangs exhibit this type of MO" JJ explained

"What about dope? These guys come up with pretty freaky ways of killing the competition to get their message out" Morgan asked

"Yeah, but there just doesn't seem to be any connection between the victims and the drug world" JJ explained

"Homeless man, a construction worker... security guard" Gideon said, looking at the photos.

"Just 3 dead men and no witnesses" JJ added

"We're looking for a homicidal serial criminal in a neighbourhood populated by criminals. The challenge will be separating him from the rest" Hotch explained

"We have no evidence, no apparent interaction between the unsub and the victims pre or post-mortem, and an indistinguishable M.O. Should be simple" Reid said sarcastically.

…

"We got a construction worker... outsider in the community. We got a security guard...that's an authority figure. And then we got a homeless man. That's a powerless victim that no one would notice missing. So who's he targeting?" Morgan asked walking through the jet.

"Let's see if any of the victims frequented the same stores or sites" Hotch stated

"He used blitz attacks, which means he most likely lacks the interpersonal skills. He needed to coerce his victims into coming close. And he also used the element of surprise, which means he may have stalked his victims prior to killing them" Reid said

"Well, if that's the case, I want to go to the last crime scene to see where he may have been hiding" Morgan said

"I want to see the neighbourhood for myself. I'll go with you" Gideon added

"The rest of us will go to the precinct and set up shop" Hotch said

"I'll map out the area and see if I can find any places the victims would have visited in the neighbourhood" Reid stated

"Good. Maybe we can find a connection between them. I'll help you with that" Lilith said

"I can handle it" Reid snapped annoyed

"I wasn't suggesting that you couldn't" Lilith said confused at her best friend.

"Isn't that what "I'll help you with it" means?" Reid asked rudely

"Reid. Fallon will help you with the geographical profiling and victimology" Hotch ordered firmly

"Fine" Reid said edgy

"Remember, this is a High-Crime area. Be vigilant. Nobody goes anywhere alone" Hotch said firmly as they all shared a worried look about Reid.

….

"FBI, right?" Detective Fuller asked as Gideon and Morgan arrived at the crime scene.

"Agents Morgan, Gideon" Gideon explained

"Hi, how are you?" Morgan asked

"Nice to meet you. We really do appreciate your help" Fuller said

"Oh, we're glad to assist. The vic, the security guard, was patrolling construction sites in the neighbourhood. Some equipment was vandalized" Fuller explained

"You think the murder's related?" Gideon asked

"The damage was kind of unspecific, more like something kids would do. The guard had a pistol, which is now missing" Fuller explained

"This whole area, it's empty?" Morgan asked

"Except for a liquor store around that corner and the locksmith on this end" Fuller explained

"And what about this building right here?" Morgan asked

"Oh, empty for years" Fuller explained as Morgan walked towards the empty building.

"Where's he going?" Fuller asked Gideon, who shrugged

"Find out when he comes back" Gideon replied

"Detective Fuller!" A local called out

"Let me see what this here's about" Fuller said as Gideon and Fuller walked over to the cop and mother and teenager.

"Her son was at the community center last night" The local explained

"I've lived in this neighbourhood all my life. So has my son. I didn't raise him to be a vandal" The mother said firmly

"Yes, ma'am, I'm sure you didn't" Fuller said simply

"Kelvin!" The mother snapped

"Well, I was... We were up here last night. We messed up some of the equipment over there" Kelvin admitted

"I found some spray paint on his clothes, and I knew he was up to trouble with his no-good friends. He will not be vandalizing his own neighbourhood again. Will you, son?" The mother asked firmly

"No, ma'am" Kelvin said

"I was gonna drive him to the police station, But I saw you already here. How much damage was done?" The mother asked

"Actually, we're here because there was a murder last night" Fuller stated

"Murder?" The mother asked

"What murder?" Kelvin asked

"Security guard" Gideon answered

"Oh, my god" The mother said shocked

"No. No. He chased us, But I lost him. I swear, I ain't touch him" Kelvin said hurried

"Don't say another word, Kelvin" His mother said firmly

"Kelvin... I only have one question for you and then you can go. Did the security guard fire his weapon at you?" Gideon asked

"No. He, like, shot into the air to scare us and that's why we ran" Kelvin explained

"Thanks. You can go" Gideon said simply

"We can go?" The mother asked confused

"Yes, ma'am" Gideon replied as they walked off quickly.

"You just sent away the last person to see our victim alive" Fuller said to Gideon.

"A boy that frightened of his mother and that slight doesn't have the skill, courage, or size to kill the way this unsub does" Gideon explained

"Hey, guys!" Morgan called out and they followed him over to the empty building.

"Someone was living here. There, you got a dirty blanket, hamburger wrappers, and soda cans" Morgan explained

"Those kids weren't the only ones here last night" Gideon said firmly

…..

"What's that?" Hotch asked as JJ walked into the room with Hotch, Lilith and Reid with a plate of homemade cookies.

"One of the detectives' wives made us cookies" JJ explained

"Wow. Homemade cookies?" Lilith asked

"Yeah, I guess that's what they mean by southern hospitality" JJ said as the construction noise rose in the background.

"What are you saying?" Reid asked confused

"Southern hospitality!" Lilith shouted over the noise.

"I need to concentrate... How can anybody hear with all this work going on?" Reid snapped closing the window, trying to block out the noise.

"Well, you're gonna have to get used to it. Construction crews are working around the clock" JJ said

"Saw it on the way in' Lilith added

"City's trying to return to its Splendour, and that means that Houston's poorest are being kicked out of their homes" JJ explained as Gideon and Morgan walked into the room.

"Unsub might be homeless. Appears to have been living in a building next to where the security guard was attacked" Gideon explained walking over to the map.

"These are the locations of the last 3 murders, all near abandoned buildings" Reid explained

"I noticed the neighbourhood. Maybe he was recently displaced" Hotch said

"Could be a motive. Construction worker, security guard at a construction site. Payback?" Lilith suggested

"What about the homeless man?" Morgan asked

"We get a lot of beefs down there among the homeless. That one could have just been a fight about space or food" Fuller explained

"Let's get a list of residents who've been kicked out of their homes by the gentrification You and Reid check the shelters?" Gideon asked Lilith

"Yeah, we're on it. Unless... you ok with that, Reid?" Lilith asked carefully

"I'm fine with that" Reid said confused as they left the room.

"We should check to see if there are any mental hospitals in the area, maybe someone who was recently released into the streets" Hotch said

"Mm-Hmm. Got it" JJ said

"Morgan, can you cover the police records for the last week? If it's someone who's been recently made homeless, he might have stolen food, comfort items, blankets, toiletries... We might be able to track a pattern of theft" Hotch asked

"Done" Morgan said

"Thanks" Hotch said as Morgan left the room and called Garcia.

"Are you lonely in the lone star state? And are you wearing chaps?" Garcia asked

"Only in your dreams, Garcia" Morgan replied

"Oh, not necessarily. I have photo shop" Garcia replied

"Hey, hey, behave. Focus your little twisted mind for me, ok? I need police records from the fifth ward... Small thefts and burglaries. Can you do that?" Morgan asked

"Aren't you at that very station right now?" Garcia asked

"Yeah, but it's a small precinct and these guys are stretched. Trust me" Morgan said simply

"Got it" Garcia said

"Oh, Garcia. See if you can find before and after pictures of demolitions in the area. Maybe we can nail down a building where the unsub may have worked or lived in" Morgan added

"How far back?" Garcia asked

"A week. And Garcia... I better not ever find any photo shop pictures of me..." Morgan threatened playfully

"Oh, trust me, my vision. You will never find them" Garcia teased before hanging up.

….


	34. Chapter 34

"Victim's name is Travis Overby. That's his buddy over there. He was working a jackhammer on a new trunk line. He said one second Travis was going down the sewer, the next second he was down at the bottom dead" Fuller explained to Gideon and Morgan at the latest crime scene, which was a sewer.

"From one second to the next. Someone has to go down" Gideon said to Morgan.

"Aw, see, this ain't cool. I'm putting in for hazard pay" Morgan joked

"Good luck with that" Gideon said simply as Morgan climbed down into the sewer.

"It's pretty clean for a sewer! The trash is pretty much cleared away. Yeah, I got a dirty blanket... something else rolled up in the corner. It's obvious he made himself a place to sleep, but... he cleared it all away. It looks a lot like the last place he was in" Morgan called out from the sewer.

"Huh. A new temporary home" Gideon stated

"Guys, it looks like the jackhammer must have knocked some of the ceiling loose. It fell down all around him. I'd be pretty scared, too" Morgan explained

"It's about survival. Carved out a place of his own, saw a threat, he attacked" Gideon explained as Morgan climbed back up.

"That's got to be why the victims were so random. He didn't have a relationship with them. They just happened to be intruding on his home" Morgan explained

"We'll need to see the other crime scenes" Gideon told Fuller

"Sure! Let's go!" Fuller said

"You all right?" Gideon asked Morgan

"Yeah. You owe me" Morgan replied seriously

…..

"You all are looking for someone in charge? I'm Angie, one of the administrators" Angie introduced to Lilith and Reid at the homeless shelter.

"Hi. I'm Agent Fallon. This is Dr Reid. We're with the FBI" Lilith introduced

"Really?" Angie asked confused

"Really" Reid said sarcastically as Lilith showed her badge.

"It looks like you have your hands full" Lilith stated

"With the demolitions in the projects and the abandoned buildings, there's no place else for people to sleep" Angie explained

"Well, thank god there are people like you who take the time..." Lilith started to say but Reid cut her off.

"Do you have a list of everyone who comes through here?" Reid asked

"Uh, we have a sign-In sheet, but we don't force anyone to sign if they don't want to. Some who do don't even use their real names. Elvis eats here a lot" Angie explained

"We would appreciate any lists you have" Lilith said kindly

"Why?" Angie asked

"Have you noticed anyone who acts unusually aggressive towards the other residents?" Reid asked

"What's this about?" Angie asked confused

"A series of murders in the area. The perpetrator may be a homeless man. Maybe someone who stays here. He may even be in this room as we speak" Reid said as Lilith looked at him shocked.

"My god, Reid" Lilith said softly as Angie looked scared.

"Have you noticed anyone who acts paranoid or displays explosive, unprovoked bursts of violence, more than just pushing and shoving? I mean, someone who really tries to harm others" Reid asked

"There are territorial fights over food and places to sleep. The nurse treats people for minor injuries all the time, but no one's seriously hurt" Angie explained

"If anyone does come to mind, give us a call. Thank you" Reid said handing her a card and leaving.

"A murderer?" Angie asked Lilith

"I'm sorry. Uh-Um... This investigation is still... No one's actually been hurt in a shelter. We're just... We're acting with an abundance of caution. So, please, let the police know if anything unusual occurs. Thanks" Lilith said as she left the shelter and walked outside to find Reid pacing.

"There's a high presence of mental disorders with the homeless" Reid said to Lilith

"Yeah. What the hell was that in there?" Lilith snapped

"What?" Reid asked annoyed

"'He may even be in this room as we speak?' We have nothing to support that" Lilith stated

"We're investigating a serial homicide. Should I have pretended there's no danger?" Reid asked

"We just left that woman potentially afraid of every man who walks into this shelter' Lilith explained

"Again, until we find this unsub, how is that a bad thing?" Reid asked

"What is the matter with you?" Lilith asked

"What do you mean, what's the matter with me?" Reid asked rudely

"Look, If I've done something to piss you off, tell me. Don't take it out on other people. No one deserves what you just did to that woman" Lilith snapped before walking off.

The ride back to the police station was a very tense, very silent ride.

"Just got back from the local homeless shelter. The administrator hasn't noticed anyone new displaying aggressive behaviour" Reid said to Hotch

"He's not in a homeless shelter. I just talked to Gideon and Morgan. They think that he's killing to protect some makeshift shelter of his own" Hotch explained

"So are we ready for a profile yet?" Reid asked

"We're missing something. How did this homeless man learn to kill so efficiently?" Hotch asked

"You know what we need?" Lilith asked

"We need to get lucky. We need him to make a mistake" Hotch answered

….

"Are you and Reid okay?" Hotch asked walking over to Lilith

"I have no idea" Lilith replied honestly

"What he went through, we knew he wouldn't come back the same… not straight away" Hotch explained

"This isn't about his kidnapping, not completely" Lilith said and Hotch silently agreed but neither of them wanted to say it out loud.

"Please help my daddy!" A young girl called out from the front door

"I need help! I was attacked!" The father said

"Can I get some help here, please?" JJ called out

"Please... Call my house to come get my daughter. Please" The father begged as Lilith and Hotch took the daughter away from the blood.

"Maria..." Lilith said softly after finding out her name from her father.

"Is my papa gonna be ok?" Maria asked

"Yes" Hotch replied

"Maria, could you answer a few questions for us? It would really help us find the bad guy" Lilith asked softly and Maria nodded

"Did he say anything to your papa?" Lilith asked

"No" Maria said softly

"What were you and your papa doing before the bad guy came?" Hotch asked

"Papa took out the garbage. And then he jumped out... And he hit my papa. I was screaming at him. Don't hurt my papa! I thought he was gonna hit me, too. But then he stopped... And he looked at me funny" Maria explained

"What do you mean by 'funny'?" Lilith asked

"He looked... Sad. He did say something. Not to my papa. To me" Maria explained

"What was it?" Lilith asked

"He said...Are you ok? Why are you crying? And then we ran" Maria explained

"Maria... What you did was very brave. Can you help us with one more thing? Can you tell us what he looks like?" Hotch asked

"He was white. And tall. And dirty. And he had a ring like yours" Maria explained, looking at the wedding ring.

"Like that?" Hotch asked holding up his wedding ring.

"I remember his ring" Maria said softly

"Thank you" Hotch said softly

"Iabuela!" Maria called out as a local cop lead a lady into the station.

"He asked if she was ok and why was she crying. He wasn't aware of what he was doing to her" Hotch said once they were back in the map room with Reid and JJ.

"Garcia's on line one. Go ahead, Penelope" JJ said

"All right, cowgirls and boys" Garcia said

"Hey" Hotch said

"I've got the comparison satellite images of the before-And-After pictures, and I found something. Check it. Do you see it yet?" Garcia asked as JJ got the pictures up the computer.

"Yeah. Yeah, an S.O.S" Lilith said

"Yeah, it's made of debris and other rocky bits of gobbledygook. This is the building where the security guard got killed" Garcia explained

"He's asking for help" Hotch said

"Wait, guys. Listen outside" Reid said as they listened to the construction noise.

"Chaos. S.O.S" Hotch said

"He's a war veteran" Lilith realized

"He thinks he's in a war zone" Hotch said before calling Morgan, Gideon and Fuller.

"He left a distress signal on the roof of one of the buildings" Hotch said on loud speaker

"The quick strikes are consistent with trained military" Morgan added

"He must have served in a place that looked or sounded like this ward" Lilith said

"Well, we were right about him being homeless, in a sense. Wherever he is, in his mental state, he's certainly not at home" Gideon stated

"He may not even be aware he's killing" Hotch stated

"Now, how's that?" Fuller asked

"When soldiers suffered from anxiety, depression, and flashbacks in world war I, it was called shell shock. In world war II, battle fatigue. Now we refer to it as PTSD, Post-Traumatic stress disorder, war related. A side effect of which is slipping into dissociative states" Reid explained

"The mind divorces itself from reality so it can cope with the trauma" Lilith said, and couldn't help but think of Reid.

"He's reliving a memory. He's trapped in his head in some war zone" Gideon stated

"Hiding and defending himself from the enemy" Morgan added

"Ok, so how do we find a man who's trapped inside his head?" JJ asked

"He's got a wedding ring. Someone's missing him" Lilith said

"Good. I'm with the wing Detective Fuller. Morgan has last crime scene to check" Gideon said hanging up.

"J.J., check missing persons reports, see if anyone matches the description. It would have been filed recently, the last 2 or 3 days" Hotch said

"Ok" JJ said

"Thanks" Hotch said

…..


	35. Chapter 35

"Dana Woodridge and Max Weston... Her husband and his best friend. Roy Woodridge has been missing since Tuesday" JJ explained to Hotch as she led the two into an empty room.

"He was on his way home from work. He called before he left the office and said we needed to talk when he got home. He sounded upset. That was the last I heard from him" Dana explained to the team.

"What was he upset about?" Lilith asked.

"He didn't say" Dana said.

"Dana called me that night then Roy didn't show up. So... the next morning we filed a missing person's report" Max explained.

"Mrs. Woodridge, where does your husband work?" Hotch asked.

"He's a consultant at a security firm downtown" Dana explained.

"Did your husband ever serve in combat?" Gideon asked.

"Excuse me?" Max asked.

"Is he a war veteran?" Hotch asked.

"Yeah. Uh... We both are. We were in special ops. 75th ranger regiment, Bravo company, 3rd battalion. But Roy... He retired shortly after things went bad in Mogadishu" Max explained.

"That was back in 1993. Let me ask you this... Does he display any sort of, uh... Behavioural tics... certain everyday things, they make him jumpy or startled?" Reid asked.

"Why?" Dana asked.

"Does he?" Reid asked.

"Is this going to help find him?" Dana asked

"Mrs. Woodridge, please. We need to know everything we can about your husband" Lilith said softly

"We all had a... hard time over there, you know... you bring some things home with you" Max explained

"Like what?" Hotch asked

"He has a hard time with loud noises. He can't be in crowds. He has nightmares and wakes up in cold sweats. The smells are the worst. He... If he smells something burning, like a barbecue or gas or fire... He gets sick. It really only got bad about a year ago" Dana explained.

"What happened to him in Somalia?" Gideon asked

"Nothing. Combat happened" Max explained

"What does that mean?" Gideon asked

"I'm gonna get a drink of water" Max said and left the room with Gideon following him.

"You knew your friend was suffering from symptoms of PTSD? He was a changed man, wasn't he? He was anxious, paranoid, distant. He was far away in his head" Gideon said to Max.

"I tried to get him into a vet center to talk to somebody, but he said he was all right" Max admitted

"That happened in Somalia? What's he reliving?" Gideon asked

"You can't tell Dana. Roy never wanted her to know" Max said

"What happened?" Gideon asked Max

"Roy and I... We were escorting a U.N. Aid caravan to a refugee camp. Our convoy was ambushed. The front received heavy fire, but we were in the rear, so we managed to escape. We hid for 2 days in and out of abandoned buildings that… insurgents were looking for us. One night I was sleeping, Roy kept watch. When I woke up, there was an ak-47 pointed right at me" Max explained

"A child" Gideon stated

"Yeah. They were all babies back in Mogadishu, but this one... he couldn't have been more than 11 or 12" Max explained

"Then what happened?" Gideon asked

"We finally found a radio... fixed it, called for an extraction" Max finished

"Did you put out an S.O.S.?" Gideon asked

"Yeah, we... we used rocks to put an S.O.S. In the dirt So the Blackhawks could locate us. How did you know that?" Max asked but Gideon remained silent.

"Look, if this is Roy, you're not gonna find him. He's trained and skilled at survival. He knows how to hide" Max warned them

"We think he has a gun" Gideon said

"Well, he doesn't miss." Max said

…

"Thank you" Dana said to Hotch as he poured her some water.

"Could somebody please tell me what's going on?" Dana asked

"There have been some people hurt recently, and we think that there may be someone lost on the streets. Someone who thinks that he's still at war" Hotch explained

"But Roy would never hurt innocent people. Well, why would he even be in this neighbourhood?" Dana asked as the phone rang.

"Hey, Garcia. We have Mrs. Woodridge here with us" JJ said warning her.

"Oh, uh, well, I found an '02 white ford f150 pickup truck" Garcia said

"Oh, my god. That's his truck" Dana said softly

"It was impounded. Uh, it had a flat tire and was picked up on Lyon street about a quarter of a mile from highway 59" Garcia explained

"He takes the east tex freeway to work every day" Dana explained

"Mrs. Woodridge, I'm very sorry... but this is definitely your husband" Lilith said softly.

….

"We need to put a S.W.A.T. Team together, plan a grid search and go building to building" Gideon said walking back into the team's room

"He's reliving the war, isn't he?" Hotch asked

"A specific incident in which he killed a child" Gideon explained

"Guys, the S.W.A.T. Team's gonna have guns, right? What happens if he tries to fight them?" Reid asked and Gideon walked out of the room.

"Reid, what are you working on?" Hotch asked

"3 days ago police shut down the freeway at 5 P.M. For 10 minutes. Cars were stalled and Roy must have tried to exit on the surface streets. Sadly, he ended up in an unfamiliar area with a flat tire. He was changing that tire when an 8-Story building on market imploded 5 blocks away. He heard the explosion and reacted like a mortar bomb had landed nearby. This explosion is what triggered his dissociation. And since then, he's been stuck in that state. Running when he needed to, sleeping when he could, camouflaging himself into his surroundings, and hiding from his perceived enemies" Reid explained

"He's relieving the worst moment of his life. He's gotta be terrified" Hotch said

"Yeah" Reid said agreeing before his phone rang.

"Yeah, what do you have?" Reid said answering the phone.

"Why isn't Derek answering his phone?" Garcia asked worried

"He's probably stuck underground somewhere" Reid explained

"Underground?" Garcia asked confused

"I'll explain later" Reid said

"Oh. Ok. So, I finally got through all those recent police reports he asked me to check, Which, by the way, it was no hopscotch through the park, because that precinct you're at is kind of tragically behind on their paperwork" Garcia said

"Yeah, they're undermanned" Reid said

"Oh, Jeez, really? I can't imagine what that feels like Oh, no, wait. Yes, I can, because..." Garcia started to rant.

"Garcia, do you have anything for me?" Reid interrupted annoyed

"Well, he told me to look for anything unusual, and it's all usual. Minor break-Ins, apartment burglaries, televisions, stereos, car thefts, and smash and grabs. Common stuff in the world of burgling" Garcia listed

"Nothing a guy lost in the streets Might use for survival?" Reid asked

"No, nothing reported. It... like I said, it's all petty. There's a... Some vandalism at construction sites. Communications radio missing from one of them" Garcia said

"Wait... Did you say radio?" Reid asked

"Yeah. Construction Foreman reported that one of their trucks had been broken into and a hand-Held radio was stolen. Yesterday.12 hours ago. Is that what you're looking for?" Garcia explained as Reid hung up on her.

….


	36. Chapter 36

"This is Roy Woodridge, 6'1", 195 pounds, 44 years old. Brown hair, former army ranger" Hotch explained as he gave out pictures to the S.W.A.T team.

"It's imperative you don't try to apprehend him alone. He won't understand what's happening. He may try to defend himself. He's armed, and he's an excellent marksman" Gideon said

"He may have stolen a radio, a walkie-Talkie" Reid said walking into the room.

"We were right. He had a nest of sorts right near every murder scene" Morgan said joining the team in their office.

"There was a burglary of a two-Way radio from a construction site recently" Reid said

"That could be Roy. We only used UHF back then" Max explained

"He's looking for help" Gideon stated

"And he'll keep trying to contact operations command" Max explained

"Detective, can we get a dozen UHF radios set up in this room, and each of them tuned to each of the preset channel frequencies?" Hotch asked Fuller

"Right away" Fuller said

"Wait a minute. When he calls, we need to be very careful with the communication, because we set up specific responses to contact op com so we could avoid hostile interception and to establish 'no danger' signals. And we had specific names to identify our squad to the operator" Max explained

"Do you remember the language you set up?" Gideon asked

"I couldn't forget it. Roy and I wrote it. The callout was, 'this is John Doe looking for Mark Rippen.' Rippen was our hero at the time... Number 11, quarterback for the redskins in 1993" Max explained

"Now we know where he is in his head. He calls in, we'll be on the other end when he does" Gideon said simply

"What if he doesn't call? What if he just kills someone else?" Fuller asked

"Well, we'll deal with that if it happens" Gideon said

"Kind of easy for you to say. This guy may be messed up, but that doesn't change the fact that he has killed 4 innocent people. Now, why don't we just do the grid search?" Fuller asked

"If you set up a grid search and he confronts one of your men, you'll be planning a funeral" Max explained

"I can guarantee you we're right about his profile. This man wants to get rescued. All I'm asking is that you just give us a chance to bring him in" Gideon said simply

The team waited around in silence as they waited for Roy to make contact.

"It's channel 11" Max said suddenly

"Are you ready Garcia?" Hotch asked

"I've got Nat recon satellites all over the ward" Garcia said

"Stand by" JJ said

"This is John Doe looking for Mark Rippen" Roy said through the radio.

"Can you help us? You know how to do this better than we do" Gideon asked Max.

"Roger that. This is number 11, all clear" Max said into the radio.

"Maxey, boy, am I happy to hear from you. I'm taking heavy fire. Request immediate extraction" Roy said

"What are your coordinates?" Max asked

"Unknown. I lost my land navigational aids. I went high, but I don't recognize anything. I don't have a fix on my grid coordinates" Roy explained

"Any other way for him to signal his location?" Gideon asked

"Did you put up any flags?" Max asked

"Yeah, you bet your ass I did. I'm holding cover here" Roy replied

"Roger that. Hold your position" Max said

"He triangulated. We need to look for 3 large, coloured flags, maybe on rooftops. They'll be identical in size and shape" Max explained

"Did you get that, Garcia?" JJ said

"Yeah, I got it" Garcia said and started typing.

"Number 11, do you still read me?" Roy asked

"Garcia" Gideon said

"I'm working as fast as I can" Garcia replied

"I can still read you loud and clear. Stay put" Max said firmly to Roy

"I found one. I found one. I got them. I see... housing projects and a courtyard" Garcia said

"We need street names, Garcia" Hotch said

"Farmer and Capron! Farmer and Capron!" Garcia said

"I know where that is. There's some abandoned buildings right there. I'll have construction sites to halt work and secure the streets" Fuller stated

"He's gonna expect men in fatigues and a chopper as cover" Max explained

"I can take care of the choppers" Fuller said

"We're in black SUVs. Tell him we're security executives. You're coming with us. We need to do this fast" Hotch said

"Tell him to stay there, we're coming to him" Gideon said

"Roy, we're coming to you, buddy" Max said

…

Lilith and Reid stayed behind with JJ to look after the Dana and pack up our stuff after they got the call that it didn't end well.

"Folks. Uh... Thank you so much for coming here. No one ever makes this place a priority. We're grateful to you" Fuller said to the team once they returned and started packing up.

"I wish it had ended differently" Lilith said sadly

"Yeah. Me, too" Fuller said

"Hey, has anyone seen Gideon?" Lilith asked

"Agent Gideon left some time ago. Said he meet you all at the airport" Fuller said confused

"Did he say where he went to?" JJ asked

"I think I know where he is" Hotch said and left to go find him.

….

Once the team had gotten back to Quantico, it was night time and the office was empty besides them.

"Hey, Reid, do you want to come over tonight?" Lilith asked Reid softly.

Reid slammed his hands down on the desk angrily, gaining the attention of the team.

"ENOUGH Fallon! Can you just back off and leave me alone for one damn day? I am perfectly capable of doing my job and living my life without you hovering over me 24/7! Now, I know you are used to bossing those poor boys around that your mother and father raped and killed but I am not one of them!" Reid shouted bitterly only to receive a loud slap across the face from Lilith. Hotch and Gideon were looking on worried while Garcia, Morgan and JJ were shocked over what Reid had revealed about Lilith's past.

"How dare you, YOU of all people bring that up in front of others?! Now you listen here, Spencer Reid, I know you have been through a lot recently but that gives you have no right to talk to me like that! I have _never_ once said that you are not capable of doing your job or living your life!" Lilith shouted

"Now maybe if you pulled that damn _needle_ out of your arm and stop wallowing in self-pity…" Lilith whispered so only he could hear.

"…You would actually realize what the date is and see that I didn't invite you over because I thought you needed me. I invited you over because I needed you, I need _my_ best friend. So if you see him, tell him to come back soon because as far as I am concerned the Spencer Reid standing in front of me can go to _hell_ " Lilith spat angrily.

The entire time, Reid looked at the ground, stunned. When Lilith was finished she turned on her heels, grabbed her bag and left the office, hoping no one could see her tears running down her cheeks.

…..


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 9 – The Fallout**

 _Reid slammed his hands down on the desk angrily, gaining the attention of the team._

" _ENOUGH Fallon! Can you just back off and leave me alone for one damn day? I am perfectly capable of doing my job and living my life without you hovering over me 24/7! Now, I know you are used to bossing those poor children around that your mother and father raped and killed but I am not one of them!" Reid shouted bitterly only to receive a loud slap across the face from Lilith. Hotch and Gideon were looking on worried while Garcia, Morgan and JJ were shocked over what Reid had revealed about Lilith's past._

" _How dare you, YOU of all people bring that up in front of others?! Now you listen here, Spencer Reid, I know you have been through a lot recently but that gives you have no right to talk to me like that! I have never once said that you are not capable of doing your job or living your life" Lilith shouted_

" _Now maybe if you pulled that damn needle out of your arm and stop wallowing in self-pity…" Lilith whispered so only he could hear._

"… _You would actually realize what the date is and see that I didn't invite you over because I thought you needed me. I invited you over because I needed you, I need my best friend. So if you see him, tell him to come back soon because as far as I am concerned the Spencer Reid standing in front of me can go to hell" Lilith spat angrily._

 _The entire time, Reid looked at the ground, stunned. When Lilith was finished she turned on her heels, grabbed her bag and left the office, hoping no one could see her tears running down her cheeks._

….

 **Later that night….**

Lilith sat on her floor, in tears, still in her work clothes from that day.

"Stupid Reid… stupid past… stupid Hankle…stupid drugs" Lilith muttered over and over again taking a drink of straight scotch after every word. Lilith was pulled out of her drunken rant by her doorbell going off.

Lilith stumbled to her feet and walked over to the door. She looked through the eyehole to see Haley Hotchner standing there. Lilith opened the door quickly.

"Is Hotch okay?" Lilith asked, slurring slightly.

"Yeah, he is fine. He was going to come over and see if you were okay after what happened but I, uh, thought that maybe you might need some girl time" Haley explained and Lilith looked at her sadly

"But if you need to be alone or whatever, just tell me to go" Haley added after Lilith didn't reply. She simply pulled Hayley into a hug and started sobbing into her shoulder.

….

Lilith walked through the bullpen, extremely hungover from the night before. It was empty since Hotch had called her in early which she was thankful for. She didn't want anyone seeing her at the moment. She walked up to Hotch's office and knocked.

"Come in, Fallon" Hotch said as Lilith walked in and shut the door. She walked over and sat down opposite Hotch.

"Firstly, how are you?" Hotch asked softly

"This is me asking as a friend, not your boss" Hotch added

"Didn't Haley tell you what I was like last night?" Lilith joked weakly

"Haley didn't tell me anything. She didn't know what you wanted me to know because I am your boss" Hotch explained as Lilith couldn't help but give a small smile.

"She is a good friend" Lilith whispered and Hotch nodded.

"I would like to request some time off. I have a few personal days saved up and now would be a good time for me to use them" Lilith requested and Hotch was shocked but nodded.

"Of course" Hotch said

"Thank you" Lilith said simply and stood up. She walked out of his office and down the stairs just as Reid, Morgan and JJ walked in. Lilith put her head down and ignored them, shoving Reid in the shoulder before storming out of the office.

"Where is Fallon going?" Morgan asked confused

"Lilith has requested some personal days which I've approved" Hotch said walking out of his office.

"For how long?" JJ asked

"As long as she needs" Hotch said simply

…

"Has anyone talked to Fallon in the past few days?" Morgan asked walking over to JJ and Garcia.

"No, she hasn't replied to either of our messages or phone calls" JJ said softly

"Mine either" Morgan replied

"Someone might want to go check she is still alive" Reid said casually walking into the room.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Garcia asked worried

"Lilith has a habit of abusing alcohol to numb her pain and considering the day that… that we closed our last case was the worst day of the year for her, she might be struggling again" Reid explained, changing what he was going to say mid-sentence. The entire time his tone was indifferent but the others could tell he was ashamed and worried.

"Hotch did say that when Haley visited her on the first night she was drinking" JJ commented

"Why was that day the worst day of the year for her?" Garcia asked and the 3 team members looked to Reid, but it wasn't him that answered.

"Because that was the day her parents killed their first victim and that was the first day she had to bury a little boy" Gideon said walking into the room.

"I don't think Lilith would have wanted you telling that to them" Reid muttered and Gideon raised an eyebrow at him.

"I think we are way past that, don't you?" Gideon asked calmly and Reid frowned annoyed.

"How do you know all this, I thought Agent David Rossi was the FBI Agent on the case?" Reid asked trying to shift the focus off him.

"He was, but I consulted. Rossi sent me the files, which included 12-year-old Fallon's statement. She may not have an Eidetic memory like you but she remembers every detail of what she had to do, down to the date, time of day and weather" Gideon replied before walking out of the room. Reid left the room as well, mumbling something about the bathroom.

"We should go check on her" Morgan said to JJ and they left the office leaving Garcia standing by herself.

"Well, I'll go back to my office then" She muttered to no one.

…


	38. Chapter 38

JJ and Morgan pulled up out the front of Lilith's house and went to knock on the door but it opened slowly.

"Fallon?" JJ called out worried as Morgan opened the door fully to reveal the house had been trashed. They instinctually pulled out their guns and moved through the house calling out Lilith's name.

Suddenly they heard singing coming from upstairs. It was Lilith's voice. They walked up the stairs and to the bathroom.

"Fallon?" Morgan called out

"Mor…*hiccup* Morgan?" Lilith asked, her voice slurring.

"We just wanted to come check on you" JJ called out

"Hey JJ!" Lilith said excitedly and Morgan and JJ shared a concerned look.

"Are you decent? Can we come in?" JJ asked

"Yeah! Come in, Come in!" Lilith said before they heard some splashing.

"I'll wait out here, let me know if when I can come in" Morgan said to JJ, who nodded. She opened the door to reveal a large bathroom, much like the rest of the house it was trashed, the mirror was broken and there was glass all over the floor. There were also empty beer bottles and one empty vodka bottle as well. JJ looked at Lilith to find her holding a half empty vodka bottle, her arms were covered in small cuts; no doubt from the mirror, her eyes were all puffy and red and she was sitting in the bathtub wearing boyleg undies and a black tank top.

"Morgan, you can come in, she is wearing clothes but uh, prepare yourself" JJ whispered through the door. Morgan walked in and was shocked.

"Oh damn" Morgan muttered before they heard Lilith singing to the radio again.

"Lilith, why are you wearing clothes in the bath?" JJ asked softly walking over to her, avoiding the broken glass. Lilith stopped singing and looked down at herself.

"Thought I took all my clothes off?" She said confused before hiccupping and laughing.

"Come on sweetheart, it's time to out of the bath, it's ice cold" JJ said as she tried to take the vodka bottle away from Lilith.

"No! I need it!" Lilith cried

"You don't need the alcohol; you need to feel the pain" Morgan started to say but JJ shushed him.

"I'll give it back to you, let me just get you out of the cold water and in some dry clothes okay?" JJ asked and Lilith nodded, her eyes starting to close even though Lilith struggled against it.

"Come on, Lilith" JJ said helping her stand up and Morgan came over and picked up Lilith so she didn't walk through the broken glass.

"Normally, I don't get this bad… normally Re…Reid is here to look after me…" Lilith muttered to herself falling in and out of sleep.

"It's okay, JJ and I will look after you" Morgan said softly as he carried her to her room.

"I'll get her changed and put her too sleep" JJ said to Morgan as he left the bedroom.

"I'll call Hotch and Gideon" Morgan said

"Come on Lilith, let's get some dry clothes on and then put you too bed" JJ said softly

"No!" Lilith shouted

"I don't want to sleep, when I sleep I dream about him" Lilith cried

"Who is him?" JJ asked while helping Lilith change clothes.

"The first person my parents ever killed… my twin brother" Lilith whispered, shocking JJ before passing out.

JJ left the Lilith in the bedroom and walked into the lounge room to find to Morgan on the phone to Hotch.

"You should have seen her Hotch, she was in the bath, still wearing clothes, surrounded by bottles of beer and vodka. She said to me that Reid normally stops her from getting this bad at this time of the year" Morgan said

"Okay, we will let you know how she is when she wakes up" Morgan said hanging up.

"What did Hotch say?" JJ asked

"That one of us should be here when she wakes up to monitor what she is like" Morgan said

"Lilith told me something before she passed out" JJ muttered

"What was it?" Morgan asked

"You remember that first victim that Gideon was telling us about?" JJ asked and Morgan nodded.

"It was her twin brother" JJ said softly and Morgan's face paled.

"Oh man" He muttered

…..

Lilith woke up to find herself back in her own bed. She looked around confused before remembering JJ and Morgan helping her.

"Oh man" Lilith muttered trying to sit up but her head started spinning.

"There is a bucket next to the bed and some aspirin and water on her bedside table" Morgan said walking into the room. Lilith took a sip of water and swallowed the aspirin.

"Thank you" Lilith muttered embarrassed.

"There is no need to get embarrassed Fallon, we have all woken up like that at some point in our lives" Morgan joked

"You guys didn't need to come look after me" Lilith muttered laying back down.

"Of course we did. You should have told us that this was what you were planning on doing on your personal days" Morgan said firmly

"I do it this time every year, either on the day or straight after I finish a case. Normally I don't get that bad though because Re…Reid is here to look after me" Lilith said, choking back a sob at Reid's name.

"He is still looking after you; he was the one that sent us" Morgan admitted and Lilith scoffed.

"Yeah, like he cares about me at all anymore after what he said" Lilith muttered angrily and Morgan knew it was pointless to argue with her at the moment.

"You got a couple more days of personal time left, do we need to have someone here to stop you getting that bad again?" Morgan asked seriously

"No, I only ever go on one bender… though admittedly normally it's only for one night and not 3 days but honestly I think I'm just going to sleep for most of the next few days" Lilith muttered tiredly.

"Okay, well, we will expect you to reply to our messages this time and if you don't reply within 12 hours we are coming to check on you again" Morgan said and Lilith nodded, already falling back to sleep.

…


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 10 – Jones**

Lilith walked through the bullpen and up to Hotch's office.

"Come in" Hotch said and Lilith walked in, closing the door behind her.

"How are you feeling after your week off?" Hotch asked

"I'm sure you heard about the start of it" Lilith said and Hotch nodded.

"I slept the rest of it. It is what I do every year on that day or close to it but normally only for one night because Reid is there to stop me" Lilith explained

"How are you feeling about Reid?" Hotch asked carefully

"I'm…"Lilith started to say before taking a deep breath.

"I'm furious, I'm extremely hurt and I'm worried" Lilith admitted and Hotch motioned for her to continue.

"I'm furious that Reid brought up my past in front of the team. I'm extremely hurt because he is supposed to be my best friend and I'm worried because of how Reid has been acting lately" Lilith explained and Hotch nodded.

"Look, we both know what is happening to Reid and we can only help him if he wants help" Hotch said softly before sitting back in his chair.

"Now, as your boss, are you capable of working with Reid, professionally?" Hotch asked, using his 'boss' voice.

"Yes, sir. You will have no problems from me" Lilith said firmly

"Good" Hotch said

"Are you going to talk to Reid?" Lilith asked softly

"I have already" Hotch said standing up as JJ knocked on the door.

"Come in" Hotch called out

JJ opened it and saw Lilith sitting there.

"Oh, I'm sorry" JJ said

"No, it's okay. We are finished here" Lilith said standing up

"We have a case" JJ explained holding up a file.

Hotch and Lilith followed JJ to the conference room where Gideon, Morgan and Reid were waiting for them. Lilith walked into the room, not looking at Reid and sitting next to Morgan. Morgan pushed a cup of coffee in front of Lilith.

"Thanks" Lilith whispered and Morgan nodded.

"We've got a serial killer in New Orleans who killed at least 3 men pre-Katrina. Until now, the New Orleans police department believed that the serial killer died in the storm" JJ explained

"What's happened to tell them otherwise?" Morgan asked

"A fourth body was found in the French quarter last night. Same M.O. Another male. Throat slashed, eviscerated" JJ explained

"A year and a half? That's a long cooling-off period. Are we sure this is the same unsub?" Lilith asked

"He claims to be. He sent a letter to William Lamontagne, the head detective on the case" JJ explained

"Does Lamontagne have any leads?" Gideon asked

"He died in Katrina. His son is actually leading the case now" JJ explained

"Hmm. That can't be easy" Morgan commented

"Well, we need to pour over the evidence from the first 3 murders and determine the pattern" Hotch said

"Katrina washed everything away. The 3 victims we know of, their autopsy reports, witness statements. DNA test results" JJ explained

"So, basically, all we have to go on is the latest victim?" Reid asked

"Yeah" JJ said

"Until he kills again" Hotch added

….

"Hey, Reid. What's going on up there?" Morgan asked Reid on the jet after seeing that he was deep in thought. Morgan thought it would be about what happened with Lilith, who was currently sleeping on the other side of the jet.

"Just thinking of this old friend of mine from Las Vegas... Ethan. I'm pretty sure he lives in New Orleans now" Reid explained

"Really? Gonna give him a call?" Morgan asked

"Grew up competing against each other in absolutely everything. Spelling bees, science fairs. We also both had our hearts set on joining the bureau, but... first day at Quantico he backed out… the same day I met Lilith" Reid muttered before looking over at Lilith's sleeping form.

"You should talk to her" Morgan said softly but Reid simply glared at Morgan.

"These are copies of the newspaper articles on the murders, dating back too early august 2005. It's all we have to go on" JJ explained, gently waking up Lilith, who looked at Reid before frowning and sitting up, reading the files.

"He killed 3 times, he stopped for 18 months, then he started killing again" Hotch stated

"We should have Garcia run a list if any offenders in the area. Anyone who spent the last year and a half doing time" Gideon said

"Or anyone that relocated after Katrina and recently moved back" Reid added

"What is the victimology in killing a mechanic, a real estate broker, and a cook, with ages ranging from 22 to 45?" Lilith asked confused

"And this latest is a 33-Year-Old taxi driver. They just don't seem to have very much in common" JJ added

"Besides being male and walking the French quarter late at night" Morgan stated

"Which is notorious for muggings off the main drag" JJ explained

"Yeah, but this guy isn't in a rush to flee the scene. A slaughter like this takes time" Lilith stated

"Andrei Chikatilo fantasized that the men he killed were his captives and then torturing and mutilating them somehow made him a hero" Reid added

"The city's barely back to life. Something like this could cripple its psyche" Gideon said

"So where do we start?" JJ asked

"Well, with no case file there's only one place we can start. At square one" Hotch said simply

"Gideon, JJ and Morgan go to the crime scene. Fallon, can you go to the morgue and get the M.E report?" Hotch said

"Yeah" Lilith said

"I'll go with you; I want to see the body for myself" Reid said simply and the team froze and looked at Lilith hesitantly. Reid stared at Lilith emotionlessly while Lilith just shrugged.

"Fine" She said simply, reading the file in front of her.

….

"You must be B.A.U. Will Lamontagne" Will introduced

"Hi. Jennifer Jareau. We spoke on the phone" JJ said

"Well, ok, then. I pictured you different" Will said

"Uh, these are Agents Gideon and Morgan. This is detective William Lamontagne JR" JJ introduced

"Appreciate you guys being here. My daddy was too stubborn to ever ask for any help" Will said

"Sorry for your loss" Gideon said sadly

"I understand you received a letter" Gideon added

"Yeah. Before they were lost in Katrina, my daddy received 2 letters. This one came addressed to him yesterday. They passed it on to me" Will explained, handing the letter over to Gideon.

"You sure it's from the same killer?" JJ asked

"It's a detailed account of what he did to the body" Gideon explained reading the letter.

"It'd be pretty easy to hide out in one of these alcoves, wait for the victim without ever being seen" Morgan commented

"Yeah, all 4 murders occurred within a 10-Block radius here inside the French quarter" Will explained

"On any given night, there'd have to be thousands of people walking through here from the bars" JJ explained

"Tens of thousands. When I first started as a cop, I worked the quarter. It's like being in the riot squad every night. Every Sunday I'd get off work around sunrise, I'm ready to pass out, my daddy's be waiting for me at my house. Make me drive him uptown to Frankie and Johnny's for poor boys. Called it communing with New Orleans" Will explained

"Did your father tell you anything else about this case that we should know?" Gideon asked

"He tried to. But you guys should see that for yourself" Will said before they left the crime scene and drove to Will's old childhood home.

"This wall is still standing where daddy carved the message right before he died. There's no doubt he's still working from the grave" Will explained and showed them where the word 'Jones' had been carved into the wall.

"'Jones' That name mean anything to you?" Morgan asked

"No. I ran it through the database against every offender in New Orleans and you can imagine how many hits I got. But nothing came up in connection with this case" Will explained

"But in your dad's final moments, it was the most important thing he wanted to say" JJ said

"Learned how to play the drums in this house, grew up with 2 dogs in this house. All it's gonna be now is the word 'Jones' carved into that wall" Will said sadly

"Detective, if he had written the unsub's name, I think you would have found him by now. Jones is the one piece of the puzzle that your daddy did know. He trusted you to figure out the rest" Morgan said

"Yeah, I know it. But I've pored over it a thousand times and I still can't put it together. I can't get it out of my head" Will said annoyed

"You ok?" JJ asked softly

"Yeah. I just don't want to disappoint him" Will said

…


	40. Chapter 40

"4 layers of fatty tissue sliced through like butter. I only seen that 3 other times" The M.E said to Reid and Lilith.

"You work this case initially?" Reid asked

"Nah. You don't forget victims like this. It's like they were dissected" The M.E said

"I can still smell the alcohol on him" Lilith commented

"This is New Orleans. Dead or alive, it' a smell you get used to" The M.E commented

"The victim has no defence wounds. Meaning this is most likely a blitz attack" Reid said

"Never saw it coming… wonder what that's like" Lilith muttered

"No hesitation marks or rapid thrusts. Cuts were methodical. Almost procedural" Reid continued, ignoring Lilith's comment.

"My guess... Whoever gutted this guy was taught to" The M.E said

"So you think he might have some medical training?" Lilith asked

"How else could he carve around every organ and leave each one intact?" The M.E asked

"Have any of his relatives come to claim the body? Anyone we could speak with?" Lilith asked

"No. I'll end up boxing up the poor bastard's ashes, left to collect dust in storage. All the bodies I've been through in the last year and a half, it's a wonder I still have room" The M.E commented as Lilith and Reid's eyes locked before Lilith took a deep breath to control her anger. She thanked the M.E and took off.

"Is that the letter from the unsub?" Lilith asked Hotch once they got back to the local police station.

"'Yeah. I'm back with a vengeance. I wanted you to know. The last guy made it easy, being out so late, stumbling home drunk. I enjoyed slicing around his organs. I thought about sending you one. He was asking to be ripped, don't you think, boss? Yours truly.'" Hotch read

"To say that the victims were asking to be killed denies all culpability. Most sexual sadists rationalize their own behaviour by blaming the victims like that" Reid stated

"But there was no evidence of sexual assault in the autopsy. He could be a homosexual male stabbing because he needs violence for arousal" Lilith added

"Every kill he's acting out a fantasy of revenge" Hotch said

"What if he's trying to act out something else?" Reid asked

"Like what?" Hotch asked

"Except for the victims were men, it's the same M.O" Reid said

"What are you talking about?" Lilith asked

"All 4 victims were found with their throats slashed, eviscerated, and the murders perpetrated in semi-Public places after dark. Investigators taunted with the letters addressed to "boss." The only difference is that case was 100 years ago and the murders took place in London" Reid said looking over at Lilith because they both studied the case.

"Jack the Ripper" Lilith said with a sigh.

"The unsub wants us to think that he's the modern-Day version loose in New Orleans" Hotch stated

Reid walked off to work on something, leaving Hotch and Lilith alone.

"How'd to go in the morgue?" Hotch asked softly

"About as good as you can imagine" Lilith replied

…

"So the 3 of you were out together last night?" Reid asked as Lilith and he met up with Will, Gideon and Morgan at the newest crime scene.

"Mark had just paid his tab at one bar and he was on his way to meet us at another" A friend of the victims said

"You guys get in any trouble? Drunken brawl? Anyone get out of hand?" Morgan asked

"We were just out to have fun; you know? minded our own business" The friend explained

"Could Mark have met a girl? Maybe upset her boyfriend?" Morgan asked

"No, sir. He struck out like we all did" the other friend said

"Thanks, guys" Morgan said as they left the crime scene.

"Getting hard to keep up with this guy" Will said

"Well, if he's mimicking Jack the Ripper, that might be precisely the point. He terrorized London for months without ever getting caught" Lilith explained

"I'd appreciate it if you'd gather your men. We'd like to give you a profile of who you're up against" Gideon said as they left the crime scene and met back at the local station. Reid was nowhere to be found though.

"The offender we're looking for is friendly, agile, somewhere between 30 and 35" Hotch said

"He'll allure with charm and kill with rage" Gideon added

"We believe he's murdering men to reclaim his power. This unsub suffers from low self-Esteem, but he probably covers it well. He dresses impeccably to feed the facade. Jack the Ripper himself was an impetuous lust murderer, whereas this offender is organized, calculating. He might even stalk his victims for days before the actual kill" Lilith explained

"We believe this killer identifies with Jack the Ripper because he's lost his own identity. Maybe through years of child abuse... or some catastrophic event" Gideon stated

"Because he overcompensates to hide his insecurities, we believe he may hold a position of authority at work" Hotch explained

"And since we think he's had medical training, consider EMTs, doctors, veterinarians" Lilith added

"Please be careful. For this unsub, The French quarter's a hunting ground. He's certainly already proven he knows the terrain" Gideon finished.

"Fallon, a moment?" Gideon asked and Lilith nodded and they walked away from the others.

"Look, I'm not going to try and excuse what Reid said to you, but you know more than anyone what is happening to him" Gideon said softly and Lilith resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"What is your point, Jason?" Lilith asked

"He loves you more than anyone with the exception of his mother. He is going to need his best friend" Gideon said simply

"He made it perfectly clear that he didn't _need_ me in his life" Lilith muttered before her phone rang.

"Fallon" Lilith said to Garcia.

"What was the thing Jack the ripper took from one of his victims? Besides, well, you know, her life?" Garcia asked

"A kidney" Lilith said simply and Garcia sighed

"I was hoping it would take you longer… but how horrifyingly fantastic is that?" Garcia asked

"Mm-Hmm. And are you going anywhere with this?" Lilith asked

"Just that I found an unsolved murder that happened 4 months ago in Galveston, Texas, with the same M.O., the victim missing that very organ. I amaze myself" Garcia said amazed

"Yeah. Me, too. Great work" Lilith said hanging up

"What's that?" Gideon asked

"Garcia found a similar case in Galveston, Texas" Lilith explained

"A lot of Katrina refugees relocated there. It could be the same guy" Gideon said softly

"He removed the kidney just like Jack the Ripper" Lilith said

"Call Reid and Morgan. I want the 3 of you on a plane to Texas tonight" Gideon said and Lilith nodded, grabbing her phone. She tried to call Reid first but he hung up on her.

…

Reid looked at his phone to see Lilith calling him. He sighed and hung up, turning back to his friend, Ethan.

"So... are you gonna ask the question?" Ethan asked

"What question?" Reid asked

"Come on, man. It's me here. We haven't talked to each other in years. I know it's why you called me. Ask the question" Ethan said as they grabbed a drink at a bar.

"Why did you quit after only one day of FBI training?" Reid asked

"Well... I'm sure you've considered the evidence, analysed the signs. What's your theory?" Ethan asked

"You were battling what's your own demons. You didn't have time to analyse someone else's" Reid said simply

"Not bad. Not bad. Those days, I did prefer Jack Daniel's to Jeff Dahmer. They both weigh on your soul eventually" Ethan said as Reid's phone started ringing again.

"Sorry" Reid said ignoring his phone call from Lilith again.

"Let me ask you this, Ethan. Do you ever regret it?" Reid asked

"You know, I may not be changing the world, but... my music makes me happy. It doesn't take a profiler to see that you're not" Ethan said

"It's not easy. And it's not... I... don't think you'd believe some of the things that I've seen" Reid said

"John Coltrane. He was a genius, too. Died of cancer. But most people think it was the booze and heroin that did him in" Ethan said

"What are you trying to say?" Reid asked

"You look like hell" Ethan said simply

"I'm fine" Reid said firmly

"Come on, man. I'm a jazz musician in New Orleans. I know what it looks like when someone's not well. This may be the one time I can tell you something that you don't already know. That might help you forget, but it won't make it go away. And if I can tell... you're surrounded by some of the best minds in the world, and if you think they don't notice... well... for a genius, that's just dumb" Ethan said simply

…


	41. Chapter 41

"Hey" Lilith said Morgan as he got onto the plane.

"Hey. Where's Reid?" Morgan asked

"I was hoping he was with you" Lilith said simply

"I thought you said you called him" Morgan said

"I did, 4 times. Nothing" Lilith explained, looking at her watch.

"The victim's fiancée is expecting us" Lilith said annoyed

"What are we supposed to do?" Morgan asked

"We got one option. Wheels up" Lilith said simply

"So… uh, how are you?" Morgan asked as the plane took off, but Lilith remained silent.

"Look, I know you must be hurting by what Reid said to you…" Morgan started to say

"If you are about to tell me that Reid needs his best friend, Gideon already beat you too it. And like I told him; Reid made it very clear that he didn't need me in his life anymore" Lilith said firmly

"I wasn't going to say that; I was going to say that I know you must be hurting by what Reid said to you… so if you need to talk to someone, I'm here" Morgan offered and Lilith wiped away some tears.

"I know Reid is struggling right now and I still care about him... but every time I see him I remember what he said and my heartbreaks again and then I feel blind rage and then… then I just feel numb" Lilith explained, staring at the file in front of her.

"I get it but just keep in mind that he might not be able to get past this without you" Morgan said softly

…

"Everybody kept saying crime's gonna skyrocket after the relocation. You just never think it's gonna happen to you" The woman said to Morgan and Lilith.

"The report said that your fiancé was bar-hopping for his bachelor party on the night he was killed" Lilith said

"We were supposed to be married in October. He was just out celebrating that with friends" The woman explained

"Was there anyone at Leonard's bachelor party you didn't know?" Morgan asked

"We all grew up together. They're like family to me. Whether they met somebody out, you know, that's a different story. They're a rowdy bunch. And they'd party with anybody" The woman explained before Morgan and Lilith jumped in a car.

"Each of the last 2 victims was traveling in a group. Both were drinking, both in public arenas, bar-hopping. So how could their friends not see anything?" Lilith asked

"It like when a lion preys upon an antelope" Morgan said thinking

"You lost me" Lilith said confused

"That's because you, Lilith Fallon, have never been one of the antelope" Morgan joked

"Oh, scratch that. You totally lost me" Lilith said confused

"Ok. Check this out. The antelope travel in packs. So the lion just sits and waits. Waits for just one of the antelope to break away from its herd. So when he's alone, vulnerable, and completely unprotected, that's when the lion strikes, that's when she makes her move" Morgan explained

"Wait a minute. Her move?" Lilith asked

"Fallon, there's only one thing that's gonna make a straight man leave his friends on guy's night out. And it'll make him leave every time. One of the victims was out for his bachelor party. Another one out with just the guys. What's the only temptation that's gonna lure these me away from each other?" Morgan asked as he pulled out his phone.

"A woman" Lilith replied as Morgan called JJ.

…..

"Hey, you guys are back from Galveston?" Reid asked walking into the station and over to Lilith and Fallon.

"What gave it away?" Lilith muttered sarcastically

"First light this morning. Where were you?" Morgan asked

"I was out with a friend. I already told you" Reid said

"I called you 4 times" Lilith said annoyed

"I didn't have any cell phone reception, so I didn't get your message until late" Reid lied

"Right" Lilith said sarcastically.

"What's going on?" Reid asked

"Our unsub's a woman" Morgan stated as Hotch walked into the room.

"We just found another body in the quarter" Hotch said

Morgan, Lilith and Reid met up with Gideon at the newest crime scene.

"Throat's been cut" Reid said

"He's been disembowelled, too" Morgan added

"Reeks of booze. It's more than a pattern" Gideon said

"Only this time he cut off the earlobe" Morgan said

"She's sticking with the ripper's paradigm" Lilith said

"What do you mean?" Morgan asked

"In one letter of correspondence, Jack the ripper promised to cut the earlobe off of his next victim. He did. It was the one day that he killed twice" Reid explained

"So she's gonna kill again by the end of the day" Gideon concluded

"Ok, what do we know about female serial killers?" Lilith asked

"Basically, you have 2 types. The Santé Kimes model. Cold, calculating. Preys on men for money. Takes her time building relationships" Morgan explained

"It's more likely we're dealing with the Aileen Wuornos archetype, motivated by paranoia and fear, luring men with sex" Reid said

"Our unsub's organized. She follows a routine. She meets men in a bar, flirts with them over drinks, and suggests that they consummate the evening in an alley" Gideon explained

"We need to be in those streets" Morgan said firmly

"Office just brought me this" Will said handing it to Lilith.

"Dear boss, by now I have rid the world of one more. So many men, so little time. I hope you don't mind the mess. They make is so easy, I just can't help myself. Yours truly" Lilith read

….

"So were looking for a woman who will approach men, comfortable being the aggressor, huh?" Will asked JJ as they were out at a club, searching the streets and clubs.

"And I'm guessing she'd have to be quite attractive in order to lure them away" JJ added

"Most of the women are out in groups, so keep your eyes open for someone on their own" Morgan said to Reid as they walked around together.

"'So many men, so little time' As if she's on a quest... to wipe out the race" Gideon said to Lilith as they walked around together.

"Or... the father who molested her? Some people think Jack the Ripper mutilated women after his mother sexually abused him for years" Lilith explained

"For someone so enraged... this unsub sounds oddly apologetic for leaving a bloody crime scene. Why?" Gideon asked

"That might be what Lamontagne figured out right before he died" Lilith said as she locked eyes with JJ and Will.

"You gotta admit, these guys are making it pretty easy. I wouldn't follow a stranger into an alley No matter how wasted I was" JJ said to Will after shaking her head at Lilith to indicate they hadn't seen anything yet.

"Yeah, but you're not a man. Testosterone will follow a woman to Thailand. Barefoot. It's just a fact" Will said to JJ before looking over at Gideon and Lilith.

"Did you give that newest letter to Reid? He knows that ripper case inside out. He might see something I'm missing" Gideon said to Lilith.

"The reason he knows that case inside out is because he was helping _me_ study it. It is my case" Lilith said, trying to keep the bitter tone out of her voice.

"I didn't mean you couldn't do it, sometimes a fresh set of eyes helps" Gideon explained

"Depends on how fresh those eyes are" Lilith muttered

"You think I'm not aware something's going on with him? After what he went through of course there is. But you of all people should know that past traumas can be our biggest asset" Gideon said suddenly and Lilith looked away over at Reid. His eyes locked onto hers and she felt tears in her eyes, so she blinked them away.

"You gonna tell me why you missed that flight to Galveston?" Morgan asked Reid, after seeing Lilith and Reid lock eyes.

"I already told you. It was no cell reception" Reid explained

"Right" Morgan said simply

"What?" Reid asked

"I mean, anytime you want to come up with a better answer, I'm standing right here" Morgan said as Reid sighed and looked over at Lilith. Suddenly, he saw a female past Lilith.

"Dark Curls, just behind Lilith" Reid said suddenly

"I got it. She's eyeing those guys outside that bar" Morgan said as he saw her follow a guy on his phone.

"Let's go" Morgan said and Reid and he followed them to discover it was a false alarm.

"Hey, we got nothing" Morgan said walking over to Lilith and Gideon with Reid.

"Well, the day's almost over, so if you're right, we just ran out of time" Gideon said

…..


	42. Chapter 42

"She's mocking us" Said Will as Reid, Lilith, Gideon and JJ showed up to the latest crime scene.

"And she's true to her word" Lilith added as Reid looked over the body.

"Do you have any tweezers?" Reid asked the M.E.

"Thank you" Reid said before pulling out a piece of paper from her mouth.

"What is that?" JJ asked

"I have no idea" Reid said opening it.

"It's a note from the unsub, addressed to your father" Reid said to Will

"Let's see it" Gideon said and Reid handed over the letter.

"Dear boss, he wanted it, with that sharp tongue and vulgar hand. Thought you'd like to know another will soon get what he deserves. Yours truly" Gideon read the letter out loud.

"It's weird. Typically, offenders write letters to be heard. Jack the ripper bragged about not being caught. This unsub isn't using correspondence to flaunt her latest kill, only to explain why she did it" Reid explained

"It's possible she considers herself a vigilante. That the men she's killing deserve to die" Lilith added

"Or maybe she's contacting your father, not because he was the lead detective on the case, but... because she believes he'd understand" Gideon stated

"You think he knew her somehow?" Will asked

"Can you think of a woman in your dad's life he helped through a tough time? Might be another police officer, I don't know, a prostitute he helped get off the street?" JJ asked

"No, He hasn't dealt with prostitutes since he worked sex crimes" Will explained

"The unsub wrote, "he was asking to be ripped." "I just couldn't help myself," and "he wanted it." What if she's mirroring the man who raped her?" Reid asked

"Where are the files stored from your sex crime division?" Gideon asked

"They were housed the same place as homicide. Most of them were washed away" Will asked

"Did your dad have a partner?" JJ asked

"Yeah. J.R. Smith. Smitty, they called him" Will explained

"He might remember something" JJ said

"Yeah, but they had a falling out" Will said

"What about?" Lilith asked, feeling Reid's eyes on her head.

"I don't know. They stopped talking when he left sex crimes" Will explained

"Do you have a problem calling him?" Gideon asked

"Not if it means breaking this case. May I borrow your hand for a minute?" Will asked JJ and used her gloved hand to grab the unsubs.

"I'll be damned" Will muttered

"What is it?" Lilith asked

"The stamp on the victim's hand... It's admittance into the Mon Cherie. It's a bar in the French quarter" Will explained

"Oh, yeah?" Reid asked

"Yeah. 9 years ago it was called Jones" Will explained

"Bingo. Get Garcia on the horn" Gideon said to JJ.

"O captain, my captain" Garcia said

"I need you" JJ said

"Anything. Talk to me" Garcia replied

"Is there any newspaper reports about a rape at a bar called Jones?" JJ asked

"Zilch" Garcia said

"You sure? It would have been about 9 years ago" JJ explained

"Nada" Garcia said

"Ok. Uh... Cross-Reference William Lamontagne with Jones bar" JJ tried again

"Bull's-Eye. Police blotter... answered a disturbance at Jones bar in the French quarter, February 19, 1998. Looks like it was during Mardi Gras" Garcia explained

"You are the best ever" JJ said

"Oh... and you're the most perceptive" Garcia joked hanging up.

….

"Smitty. How are you?" Will asked as Will, Gideon, Lilith and JJ walked into the bar.

"I hope you got a good reason dredging this crap up" Smitty said rudely

"Well, I was hoping you might remember being called here with my daddy 9 years ago" Will said simply

"Is that a joke?" Smitty snapped annoyed

"No" Will said confused

"My name's Jason Gideon. We're from the FBI. We're investigating the series of murders in the French quarter" Gideon said simply

"What's that got to do with me?" Smitty asked

"We need you to tell us what happened the night you and detective Lamontagne answered the call in this bar" Lilith said

"Am I missing something?" Will asked

"You really don't know, do you?" Smitty asked

"After that night, your daddy tried to bring me up on sanctions" Smitty explained

"Why?" Will asked

"It was Mardi Gras. Some girl claimed she was raped in this bar. I wasn't buying it" Smitty explained

"What did she say happened to her?" JJ asked

"Brass backed me up. They ended up transferring your daddy out to shut him up" Smitty said to Will

"What happened here?" Lilith asked firmly

"It almost cost me my career" Smitty added, ignoring JJ and Lilith.

"Do you mind telling us what happened?" Gideon asked

"My best recollection, she said she was sitting at the bar with 2 friends. One of the boys asked her if she wanted to play some pool. Witnesses claim she was up for anything" Smitty explained

"She followed him up here?" Lilith asked as they walked up to the pool section.

"His friend not far behind. She knew he was there. That girl was a tease. She was looking for a good time. Anyway, a couple of guys were going along with that" Smitty explained

"Did she yell for help?" JJ asked

"She said she did. But not a single person claimed that they heard her" Smitty explained

"That's what you registered as a disturbance?" Lilith said heatedly

"It was Mardi Gras" Smitty said as if that explained it all. Lilith was fuming.

"Listen to me. That girl had enough beads hanging from her neck to jewel a small city. Anyone exposes themselves that much in one day is not a credible witness in my book" Smitty said

"But she wanted to press charges" said Will firmly

"I told her it was a waste of time. I knew one of the accused. He was a good kid. He didn't need the stink of that accusation" Smitty explained

"So you protected a rapist?" Lilith snapped and Gideon gave her a warning look. Lilith took a deep breath and stepped back.

"Well, that right there was a bone of contention between his daddy and I. As far as I was concerned, no such rape ever took place. Are you gonna tell me why you went and dragged this dirt back through my life?" Smitty asked

"You know the serial killer who's cutting up men in the French quarter? She was your victim" Gideon explained

"We're trying to find a name" Will explained but Smitty shook his head.

"You don't even remember her name?" Lilith asked annoyed

"It was 9 years ago" Smitty said as an explanation.

"What about the name of the "good kid" who raped her?" JJ asked annoyed

"Smitty... You tell me right now or I'll file a new sanction against you, and I guarantee you, this time it'll stick" Will threatened.

…


	43. Chapter 43

"Is he here?" Lilith asked walking into the station.

"He is in that room" Gideon said

"Lilith is doing the interview?" Reid asked emotionlessly but deep down he was worried because this guy was a potential rapist.

"Problem?" Lilith snapped and Reid looked down.

"JJ is coming with me" Lilith added after taking a deep breath.

"Mr. Tibideaux, we need you to answer a few questions about a disturbance you were involved with in 1998" Lilith said

"I don't know what you're talking about" Mr. Tibideaux said simply

"At a bar called Jones. It was Mardi Gras" JJ added

"Well, then, I must have been drinking some, because I don't remember a thing" Mr. Tibideaux said

"We just need to know the name of your accuser" Lilith said

"Look, I told you, I don't know what you're talking about" He said firmly

"The statute of limitations is up. We just need a name" JJ said annoyed

"Someone accuses me of rape, I'm going to remember her name" Lilith said firmly

"What can I tell you? I guess she didn't make that good of an impression" He said

"Unlike yourself, right now" Lilith replied smoothly

"You know; I'm guessing if someone did do something to that girl that night, then she was probably asking for it. Maybe even liked it" He said simply

Lilith nodded to JJ and she grabbed the crime scene photos and showed them to the male.

"She murdered these men, and I'm guessing it's only a matter of time before she works her way back to the one she really wants to kill" JJ said

"She make an impression now?" Lilith asked firmly

"Sarah Danlin" He said simply and JJ left the room to call Garcia.

…

The team got geared up and drove to Sarah's house. Hotch motioned for Reid and Lilith to go around the back.

"Sarah Danlin, F.B.I.! Open the door" Morgan called out but got no response.

"F.B.I!" Hotch said as Morgan broke down the door.

"Clear" Hotch called out

"Clear" Reid called out as they came in from the back.

"She's not here" Will said

"Guys, there are some Ripperologists who speculate that Mary Kelly was actually killed in a flat that Jack the ripper rented for the night" Reid explained

"I'm going to have Garcia check Sarah Danlin's credit card accounts. It's a long shot, but maybe we can trace her room back to her charge cards" Morgan said calling Garcia.

"Souvenirs. These are from bars in the French quarter. This is from mon Cherie" Hotch said

"She's trolling for victims in the place where it all began" Morgan said

"She can't move on. The rape isn't the whole story. I'll bet there's a history of sexual abuse that contributes to her rage as well" Hotch explained

"It's almost like by taking on the ripper persona, she was trying to kill something within herself" Reid said looking at Lilith.

"Yeah, mama, what do you got?" Morgan said as his phone rang.

"Sarah Danlin's visa was charged an hour ago at the Royal Ruby Inn" Garcia said

"Ah, baby girl, you never disappoint. Thank you" Morgan said hanging up.

"Royal Ruby Inn" Morgan said to Will.

"That's 2 blocks from here" Will explained

"Let's go" Morgan said as they got back into their cars and drove to the hotel.

"FBI!" Hotch said kicking down the door to see Sarah sitting on top of a male with a knife.

"Drop the knife" Morgan said

"Drop the weapon" Hotch added

"He wanted it... and he got it" Sarah said

"Put it down now" Morgan said

"We need an EMT tech right away" Hotch said into the comms unit.

"What are you waiting for?" Sarah asked Morgan.

"Ma'am, we don't want to shoot you" Morgan said

"Be such a shame to waste this. Do you want it, too?" Sarah asked

"What I want is for you to put that knife down" Morgan said simply

"Come on. Don't fight it" Sarah begged crying

"Sarah, we don't want to hurt you" Hotch said as Will stepped into the room.

"Sarah, my name's William Lamontagne JR. You knew my daddy?" Will asked

"Yeah, yeah" Sarah said crying

"You trusted him. So trust me" Will said

"Where is he?" Sarah cried

"The storm took him" Will said softly

"Come on. It's over. It's over" Will said grabbing the knife and giving it to Hotch before pulling Sarah into a hug and moving her off the man.

….

"How'd you find me?" Reid asked as Gideon sat down next to him at Ethan's concert.

"You're not all that hard to profile" Gideon said simply

"Your friend is good" Gideon stated

"I missed that plane on purpose" Reid admitted

"I know" Gideon said

"I'm struggling" Reid said softly

"Well... anybody who's been through what you've been through recently... Would" Gideon explained

"This is all I was groomed for. I never even... I never even considered another option" Reid explained

"Now you're questioning whether or not you're strong enough to be here?" Gideon asked

"Yeah" Reid nodded

"I have been playing at this job in one way or another for almost 30 years. I've felt lost. I've felt great. I have felt scared, sick, and insane. I don't know. I guess the day this job stops gnawing at your soul and... hands... your hands stop feeling cold... maybe that's the time to leave" Gideon explained

"I guess I just needed to try to figure out if I could step away from this job" Reid explained

"And?" Gideon asked

"I'll never miss another plane again" Reid stated

"Good" Gideon said simply

"But, I've still lost Lilith" Reid said choking back a sob.

"You are smart enough to know that what you said hurt Fallon… badly. But you also know that she loves you a lot and it's not too late to fix this but it will take a lot of work" Gideon explained

"Where do I even start?" Reid asked softly

"I think you know exactly where to start" Gideon said simply and they both turned back to watch Ethan play.

….


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 11 – Ashes and Dust**

Lilith was walking around her house, cooking dinner and listening to ACDC when she heard her doorbell ring. She walked over and looked through the peephole to see Reid standing there, nervously. Lilith took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Reid" Lilith said emotionlessly

"May… may I come in?" Reid asked nervously and Lilith nodded awkwardly. She went and turned off the music as Reid sat on the lounge. Lilith sat next to him and neither of them said anything for several moments.

"I have a dilaudid addiction" Reid admitted out loud for the first time ever. Lilith went to say something sarcastic but stopped herself with a sigh.

"I know" Lilith said softly and Reid nodded.

"I was… struggling after the kidnapping and using dilaudid was letting me escape from the nightmares, the flashbacks… everything" Reid explained while Lilith listened quietly.

"But I didn't see what it was doing to me until… until I took it out on you" Reid said and Lilith saw his eyes tear over.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am about what I said to you… none of it was true at all. I need you in my life, Lilith. I need _you_ more than anyone else in this world" Reid said looking down as Lilith sat there, trying to sort out her own emotions between anger and forgiveness.

"I don't expect you to ever forgive me for what I said because I know I will never forgive myself. I just… I just needed to tell you how sorry I am and if there is anything I could do to make it up to you, I would do it" Reid admitted. Lilith wiped the tears from her eyes and grabbed one of his hands.

"Reid, look at me" Lilith said softly and Reid did so. They sat like that for several moments again and Reid was getting nervous as Lilith searched her brain for the right thing to say.

"What you said to me… it was horrible. It hurt me, a lot and it still hurts me every time I think about it" Lilith stated and Reid went to leave but Lilith stopped him.

"But…" Lilith said and Reid sat down again

"But I know what it feels like to want to forget. I know what it feels like to want to do _anything_ to stop the memories and pain. So… for every night that you have come over and dealt with my nightmares and stopped me from killing myself once a year with alcohol poisoning… you deserve a second chance to redeem yourself" Lilith explained and Reid looked at Lilith surprised.

"There is only one thing I want you to do though, Reid" Lilith said firmly

"What is it? I'll do anything for you" Reid asked instantly

"Get clean" Lilith said softly but firmly.

"Of course" Reid said quickly

"This won't be easy Spencer. You have to go to weekly meetings, sometimes more if I think you are struggling" Lilith continued firmly while Reid nodded quickly agreeing.

"And if you think you are struggling, you call me. No matter what time of the day or night, you call me" Lilith finished

"I will, I promise. I am going to do everything you ask me to do so I can make it up to you. I promise" Reid said honestly

…

"Two fires, two families in three weeks. The first family, the Jarvis', all died. Last night, the Cutlers. Only one survivor, Charlotte Cutler, she's in critical condition with burns to over 60% of her body" JJ explained to the team as they gathered in the conference room.

"Well, it's no accident. It's the same M.O. No fuses, kerosene, multiple points of origin, families targeted at home while they slept" Lilith said

"The bay area has a serial arsonist" Hotch said

"Statistically, 94% of all serial arsonists are male, 75% are white, and few, if any, are ever caught" Reid said

"Few? You don't have a percentage?" Lilith asked curiously

"16%, and those 16% set 30-plus fires before they were ever apprehended" Reid said before turning to Lilith.

"I'm trying to be more conversational" Reid explained

"Oh. It's not working" Lilith joked as Morgan laughed and Reid looked at Lilith and smiled.

"Most serial arsonists don't intend to inflict harm. Injuries or death, those are accidental. It's not about violence" Lilith continued

"For this one it is" Hotch stated

"It's also about power. Seeing the destructive force of their fires. Watching the chaos, for them, fire's just a substitute for sexual release" Gideon explained

"Oh, great, so if these guys don't get laid, they start fires?" Garcia asked sarcastically

"Or in this case, burn entire families to death" Gideon explained

"No statistic?" Lilith asked Reid amused

"Nope" Reid said simply

"They don't have statistics on this guy. One of a kind" Gideon explained

"Thank god" Garcia said

"Three weeks ago, this serial arsonist escalated into a serial killer whose weapon is fire. Why?" Reid asked

"Major event. Possibly the breakup of his primary sexual outlet. The separation, the loss" Hotch explained

"All right, what about the victims?" Gideon asked

"SFPD can't connect the Jarvis' and the Cutlers, but witnesses put an unidentified late model gold sedan near both fires" JJ explained

"Run the car. Garcia, run the victims through the system, if there's any connection we need to find it" Hotch said

"Yes, sir" Garcia said

"Reid, we need victimology. I'll go see Charlotte Cutler" Hotch added

"You took the burn one last time" Gideon said

"It's all right. I got it" Hotch said

"I'll come with you" Lilith said to Hotch as the team got up and left.

…..

"So you and Reid seem to be getting along again?" Hotch asked as they walked through the hospital.

"Yeah, he's… he's trying to make it up to me and so far, is following through with all his promises" Lilith said simply and Hotch nodded.

"Has she said anything about the fires?" Hotch asked the doctor

"I'm giving her as much painkiller as I can. She asked about her husband and son. She passed out again before I had to answer" The doctor said

"So she doesn't know" Lilith said

"Whatever you tell her, she won't live long enough to know different. I'll be right back" The doctor said

"Did she just tell us to lie to a material witness?" Lilith asked

"No. She told us that we could" Hotch said, his eyes never leaving Charlotte Cutler.

"Mrs. Cutler? I'm Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, this is Special Agent Lilith Fallon" Hotch introduced as they walked into the room.

"Hello. Where's Paul?" Charlotte asked

"Your son…" Lilith started to say

"…was with you the night of the fire. That's why we're here" Hotch interrupted

"I don't understand" Charlotte said confused

"We're FBI Agents. We think that the fire may have been set intentionally" Hotch explained

"I'm very tired" Charlotte said while Lilith was frozen as she looked over Charlotte's burnt body.

"I understand. This is very important. Do you think you could just give us a couple of minutes?" Hotch asked and Charlotte nodded.

"I want you to think back to that night. Was there anything out of the ordinary?" Hotch asked and Charlotte shook her head, no.

"Think about the things that you normally do. Uh, get undressed, wash your face…" Lilith offered

"I couldn't brush my teeth. The water wasn't working. Dennis got the water back on" Charlotte explained

"Then then you went to bed?" Lilith asked softly and Charlotte nodded.

"Do you remember what woke you up?" Hotch asked

"Paul" Charlotte said

"Not the smoke alarms?" Lilith asked confused

"It was Paul" Charlotte said firmly

"What else do you remember?" Hotch asked

"Dennis unlocked it and it wouldn't open" Charlotte cried

"He unlocked what?" Hotch asked

"The front door! Somebody please help us, please!" Charlotte cried as she relived the situation.

"And then I saw the fireman and I knew everything was going to be ok" Charlotte said

"Dennis? Paul where's my baby? Paul. Where are they? Are they ok?" Charlotte asked desperately.

"They're fine. They're just outside in the waiting room" Hotch explained softly as Lilith sighed.

"Oh, right. I don't want them to see me like this. No, I'm not ready. Could you… please tell them to wait a minute, please? I'm not ready" Charlotte begged

"Agent Fallon will tell them. You call Gideon and Morgan?" Hotch asked and Lilith nodded and left the room.

…


	45. Chapter 45

"Welcome. Ricardo Vega" Vega said to Morgan and Gideon at the crime scene.

"Hi. Jason Gideon, this is Derek Morgan" Gideon introduced

"Most likely the arson suspect is a first responder who set both fires with premeditative intent to return to it within a professional capacity" Vega said

"You read my paper" Gideon said smiling

"'Profiles of a serial arsonist', I make everyone on my team read it. I've run the first responders of both fires, these are the pedigrees of everyone that was here that night. No fire, police, or EMT responded to both" Vega explained

"No one?" Morgan asked

"Except me, which is why I've included copies of my department performance reviews, medical records, and psych-evals" Vega said simply

"It's unnecessary" Gideon said

"No, it's not. Your best suspect is a fireman who saw both fires burning. That's me. I'm saving you time. Come on, I'll walk you through it" Vega explained firmly before Gideon's phone rang. It was Lilith.

"She told her husband there was no water" Gideon said hanging up and walking back over to Morgan and Vega.

"Where's the shut-off?" Gideon asked

"Main's up the sidewalk" Vega explained

"Ok, so I'm the unsub. I need to get in the house. So I turn the water off right here. And then I wait. I wait for him to come outside. I wait for them to go to sleep and then I carefully pour the fuel. Cutting access to the back door. I leave them only one way to get out. The front door" Morgan explained as they walk into the burnt down house.

"She said Dennis unlocked it. Still wouldn't open" Gideon stated

"When we got here it was unlocked. Door opens in, nothing held it outside so whatever he used to keep it shut was on the inside. Here" Vega explained pointing to a lighter patch in the burnt door frame.

"See these light spots. Something was jammed in there, shielded the surface beneath it from the smoke, it was wedged in tight. Some kind of expanding tool" Vega explained

"So where is it? If he jammed it from the inside it would still be there" Morgan asked

"We didn't find anything" Vega stated

"He took it with him" Gideon said

"That means he would have still been inside as it was burning" Morgan said

"He would have had to be in full fire gear" Vega said

"She didn't see a fireman…" Gideon said softly

"She saw the Unsub" Morgan finished

"Hold on, if the house is on fire, why would he stay inside?" Vega asked

"He wanted to watch them burn" Gideon explained

….

"This place is great! They have their own espresso machine" Reid said excitedly as he met up with JJ at the local station.

"Dr. Reid, this is Detective Castro, she is with the SFPD liaison" JJ introduced

"Burned my hand on that espresso machine" Reid explained as he held up the first aid kit, only for it to open and every drop out.

"A genius, you said?" Castro asked

"Yeah, uh, his coordination drops off when he's thinking" JJ joked

"Good. Because we need to figure out why this psycho chooses these families" Castro said

"He's most likely targeting the men. They're the only similar members of the two families. C. Jarvis, 29, worked full-time. Charlotte cutler, 39, was a stay-at-home mom. The Jarvis' had two girls in public grade school, Cutler's had a son in private high school. The Jarvis' went to church, the Cutlers didn't. Nothing holds. Except with the men… both in their late thirties, white, approximately 6-feet tall, brown hair, nice homes, nice families, good jobs, that's the connection" Reid explained

"What connection? Cutler was a lawyer, Jarvis an executive. There's no evidence they ever met" Castro asked

"But they're of the same type. We know that most serial arsonists are white males. A complex M.O. develops over time. This guy is in his mid-thirties; he sees the victims as successful versions of himself. And he resents them for it" Reid explained

"I'll issue an A.P.B. For a resentful 6-foot white guy" Castro muttered before walking out of the room.

"Charlotte Cutler died" Hotch said as he and Lilith walked into the room just as Gideon, Morgan and Vega did.

"I'm sorry. Next time I'll go" Gideon said softly as Lilith walked over and sat next to Reid. She saw his burnt hand and stifled a laugh.

"What have we got on the vehicle?" Hotch asked

"Uh, it is a 1999 gold ford Taurus. 85% of that model color-combo were sold domestically as fleet vehicles. Company cars, rental fleets" JJ explained

"Did you check all agencies?" Hotch asked

"Yeah, none of them kept them for the past three weeks, or rented during both fires, so I was thinking, who keeps a rental car for three weeks?" JJ asked

"Then it's not a rental" Hotch stated

"It would have to be a company car. This guy, he had to have time to stalk his victims. And if his job involves driving…" JJ started to say

"There was a serial arsonist up in Seattle, early nineties" Vega stated

"Paul Kenneth Keller" Hotch said

"Yeah. He used to drive around all day selling advertising for his dad's agency, picking out places to burn" Vega explained

"Company car. Good work, JJ" Hotch said walked out of the room.

"Let's do the profile" Gideon added as they gathered the local cops.

"The unsub we're looking for is a highly intelligent, under-achieving, 35 to 45-year-old white male with a severe narcissistic character disorder" Hotch started

"Nothing in his life works for long. If he was married, he's now divorced. If employed, it won't last" Gideon continued

"What he wants is admiration, but he's got no respect for others… not their feelings, and most certainly not their safety" Morgan stated

"He feels entitled. He's like a petulant adolescent. He both resents and he absolutely expects everyone to take care of him" Gideon explained

"And given that a male relative wouldn't tolerate this behaviour, he most likely lives with a female relative his mother, grandmother, aunt, whom he exploits" Hotch added

"His arson kit is expensive. Fire suit, oxygen mask. This suggests that he may be employed, but his personality will not allow him to work closely with others in an office setting" Morgan explained

"This along with the information about his vehicle lead us to believe that he's a traveling salesman of some sort, who works for a company big enough not to notice that he's a sociopath" Hotch added

"Ok, this scumbag has issues, we all get it. But why fire?" Castro asked

"He's like a drug addict. Only fire's his drug. Each time an addict needs a fix, they need more of the drug to get off. So his crimes most likely get much worse. It would be almost impossible for him to quit without help" Reid said, looking over at Lilith, who nodded proudly while the team understood Reid's message.

"Thank you very much" Hotch said firmly as Vega and the team met up in Vega's office.

"Garcia's on line one" Lilith said walking into the office.

"Brace yourselves. I'm gonna teach you the meaning of lust" Garcia said

'Did she say lust?' Gideon asked confused

'Mm-hmm. I cross-referenced every known fact on the victims, and I just found a website that links both Dennis cutler and Matthew Jarvis' companies on a list of businesses guilty of L.U.S.T' Garcia explained

"I'm missing something" Hotch said

"Leaking underground storage tanks. The website belongs to a recently founded San Francisco chapter of the earth defence front" Garcia explained

"The EDF? The eco-terrorist group?" Lilith asked

"They aren't eco-terrorists, they're environmental activists" Reid explained

"Dennis Cutler and Matthew Jarvis may disagree with you" Morgan said

"I'm pretty sure some EDF people were sent up for torching an SUV dealership a while back in San Diego" Vega explained

"Nobody died in those fires" Gideon said

"Maybe they got lucky" Lilith suggested

"No, it's not luck. This group's dedicated to protecting life" Gideon explained

"What, do they wait until no one's home and then light the place up?" Vega asked

"That's exactly what they do" Hotch said simply

"Are you telling me that the FBI doesn't have files on organizations like this? Lists and members?" Vega asked

"Domestic groups like the EDF aren't the bureau's top priority right now" Morgan explained

"Besides, they're more of a movement than an organization" Reid added

"There's a central ideology, but… chapters are independent, they don't pay dues and they don't keep membership lists" Gideon explained

"What if one of the chapters has broken ranks and has a new belief?" Lilith asked

"Hurting people's never been part of it. Doesn't track. Doesn't fit the profile" Gideon said

"Garcia, can you identify how many members are in this particular EDF chapter?" Hotch asked

"Uh, it looks like a 100 to 150" Garcia replied

….


	46. Chapter 46

"Thomas R. Dunleavy, Dunbrook development group" Hotch said to Garcia at the newest crime scene.

"On the list. Ok, I'm sending you a file on the EDF leader. Evan Abby, 41, 5'11'',185 pounds" Garcia explained

"Thanks, Garcia" Hotch said

"Pardon me for asking, sir, but how do we even know he's involved?" Garcia asked

"We don't. That's why we're interviewing Abby at the crime scene. If he is the leader of the EDF, his reaction to all this should tell us exactly what we need to know" Hotch explained before hanging up.

"Where do you guys want it?" Vega asked

"This is the spot" Hotch said

"When he arrives, bring the fake bodies right past us nice and slow. I want him to get a good look" Gideon explained

"Remind me to never play poker with you guys" Vega joked

"So what do we have on this guy?" Gideon asked but Hotch remained silent.

"Hotch!" Gideon shouted

"What?" Hotch asked snapping out of his thoughts.

"What do we have on the EDF leader?" Gideon asked

"Evan Abby, 41, divorced, father of Liam, 14. Environmental engineer, does consults on real estate projects, has worked with every company on the EDF list" Hotch explained

"Can't wait to meet him" Gideon said simply before Lilith arrived with Abby.

"Mr. Abby, these are Special Agents Jason Gideon and Aaron Hotchner" Lilith introduced

"Thank you for coming" Gideon said shaking his hand.

"Um, Agent Fallon said you needed my help with a L.U.S.T. Related fire?" Abby asked

"Yeah, it's pretty bad. Tom, Brad, Katie Dunleavy. All burned to death" Gideon said as the fake body was taken past.

"Uh so, um, where's the... uh, where's the leaking storage tank?" Abby asked, disturbed by the body.

"Katie was only 12. You've got a son about that age, don't you?" Hotch asked

"Did you know Tom Dunleavy?" Gideon asked

"What is this?" Abby asked

"He worked for Dunbrook development group" Gideon explained

"Why are you asking me these questions?" Abby asked

"You posted Dunbrook on your website" Hotch said

"My website? Look, I came down here voluntarily because I was told you needed help with a L.U.S.T. Related fire" Abby said firmly

"Three fires, three families, three fathers, who worked for companies posted on your EDF website. All burned to death. You worked for these companies… everyone on your list" Hotch explained

"Are you accusing me of a crime?" Abby asked

"What do you think?" Hotch asked

"Mr. Abby, I support your cause. But I reject these methods" Gideon said

"I don't know what cause or methods you're referring to" Abby said

"You created the site, you posted the list, you're the leader of the EDF" Hotch explained

"Well, if you could prove that, we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we?" Abby asked and turned to leave.

"Mr. Abby, people are dying. Children, Mr. Abby. We know EDF's strategy has always hated violence. I'm asking you, has EDF's strategy changed?" Gideon said simply

"No. It hasn't" Abby replied firmly before taking off.

"He could barely look at this. A serial arsonist wouldn't be able to peel his eyes away" Gideon explained

"He's hiding something. More than just his support for the EDF" Hotch added

"Hey, it occurred to me if all I knew about the EDF was that they went around burning down SUV dealerships and housing developments" Lilith started to say

"Well, that's a common misconception" Gideon interrupted.

"That's my point. What if our profile is right… and the unsub held the same misconception? He wants to fit in, he wants people around him to appreciate what he does, isn't it possible that the unsub joined the EDF thinking…" Lilith started to say

"It was an arsonist's club?" Hotch finished

"Sure. That's possible" Gideon said

"If we give Abby our unsub's profile could he help us identify him?" Vega asked

'We can't give Abby the profile, not until we find out what he's hiding" Hotch said firmly

"Still, it seems Abby's our best chance of finding the unsub' Lilith stated

"You want Abby or the ex-wife?" Gideon asked Hotch

"Abby" Hotch said firmly before walking off.

"Go with him" Gideon said to Lilith.

…..

"I met Evan at Berkeley 20 years ago, Evan was a different person. In every way. Warm, funny, honest. Even naïve" Mrs. Abby explained in the local station.

"What happened?" Gideon asked

"We had school loans, I got pregnant, his job…" Mrs. Abby said softly

"Evan was an environmental consultant. Builder's hired him to help them clean up their sites. Make sure they were up to EPA code" Gideon explained

"Evan thought they hired him to do the right thing" Mrs. Abby explained

"Did he?" Gideon asked

"No. Developers don't care about mercury in the groundwater. They just want to pass inspection as fast and cheap as possible. He had a budget, it was never enough, but they didn't care how he spent it, as long as they passed inspection" Mrs. Abby explained

"Well, how did Evan deal with that?" Gideon asked

"He drank. It got bad" Mrs. Abby admitted

"How bad?" Gideon asked

"I thought he might hurt himself. I didn't know if he could live with it" Mrs. Abby explained

"How's his relationship with your son Liam?" Gideon asked

"He doesn't have one. I had to threaten to take him to court to get him to pay child support. Must've either scared the hell out of him or really pissed him off" Mrs. Abby said

"Why's that?" Gideon asked

"Because every Sunday night for the past 9 months he tosses $2,000 cash through the mail slot. He left long before I threw him out" Mrs. Abby explained

…

"I don't know, hunny. I will and I promise I'm going to make it to you" Hotch said to Hayley on the phone.

"Ok. I love you, too" Hotch said hanging up

"Everything ok?" Lilith asked awkwardly

"Yeah. Hayley says hello" Hotch said as they watched Abby.

"You know, for a guy claiming to be innocent, he's acting pretty guilty" Lilith said

"Never underestimate the effect being confronted by the FBI will have on a suspect" Hotch said

"I don't think he's effected; I think he's freaked out. In the time we've been watching him, he's packed his belongings into cardboard boxes, hit his attorney's office and 4 banks" Lilith explained

"It does look like he's getting ready to run" Hotch agreed

"The question is, what do we do?" Lilith asked

"For now, nothing. We just watch" Hotch stated and turned on the car, following Abby.

"How's Reid?" Hotch asked

"It's going to be a long road, but he is going better than I've ever seen him since the incident" Lilith admitted

"I think it is helping that he has you again" Hotch stated and Lilith couldn't help but smile at that.

They followed Abby to a house where a group of people were having a meeting.

"All those people? No booze or music? That's either a very lame going away party or an EDF meeting" Lilith said

"We need to set surveillance up. Grab your camera" Hotch said

"Where should I set up?" Lilith asked

"Right here. If he's hiding something, we don't have a warrant, we don't have supplies" Hotch explained

"You want to intimidate him" Lilith stated

"I want another chance to find out what he's hiding" Hotch said

"Ok smile, everybody" Lilith muttered as she took photos of everyone who walked out of the house. Including Abby as he stormed towards the car.

"It looks like intimidation worked" Lilith muttered, putting down her camera and they got out of the car.

"So what is it with you? Shoving a bunch of dead kids in my face wasn't enough? Thought I needed a little harassment, too? It's over, all right? I denounced the fires and the people responsible for them, and I just disbanded the EDF" Abby said angrily

"If the EDF had nothing to do with the fires, why would you disband?" Lilith asked

"Do you have kids, Agent Hotchner?" Abby asked

"I have a son like you" Hotch stated

"Good. Then I'm gonna tell you this, one father to another. I started the EDF for my son. And yours. Not to have some other guy's son burn to death. Hope your pictures come out" Abby said before walking back inside.

"Fallon, does he look like he weighs 185 to you?" Hotch asked

"165, maybe" Lilith guessed

"Why would he hold a meeting when he knew we were watching?" Lilith asked

"He wanted us to see it. He wanted to make sure that we saw him trying to do the right thing" Hotch explained

"You don't believe him?" Lilith asked

"I don't know" Hotch admitted

"He seemed pretty angry for a guy who's trying to do the right thing" Lilith said

"That's why we need to get those photos to Garcia" Hotch said

"What do you mean?" Lilith asked

"Either he's angry because he's guilty of a wrongdoing, or he's angry because his attempts to do the right thing with the EDF have gotten people killed, but either way…" Hotch said

"The arsonist was here tonight" Lilith finished

…..


	47. Chapter 47

"The victim was a CPA. Greg Ballou, 39, white, 6-feet, handsome. He was talking to his fiancé on his cell when it happened" Castro said at the newest crime scene.

"This kerosene is the same exact type used in the other fires" Vega added

"Well, Hotch and Fallon had Abby under surveillance at the time of the attack, so we know Abby's not the unsub" Morgan said

"Witnesses put the gold sedan here, so we know this is our guy" Vega said

"And given that the attack occurred less than 30 minutes after the EDF meeting and Abby's house is less than a mile from here" Morgan added

"Chances are the unsub was at Abby's house" Gideon said

"He parked some distance away and walked" Vega added

"This victim wasn't even connected to the EDF list" Morgan said

"He was just a guy who looked like he had a nice life like the others" Castro added

"The unsub didn't go into a house, he barely even got out of his car. There was no planning whatsoever. Why?" Vega asked

"He's devolving. He's doing it fast" Morgan said

"He's smarter than that. This was random, impulsive, adolescent" Gideon explained

"Like a tantrum" Morgan said

"He's got displaced aggression. He listens to Abby denounce him and his work, it enrages him, and so that's the trigger. Unsub lashes out immediately" Gideon explained

"Well, if he was at Abby's we have him on camera. It's just a matter of time before Garcia has a suspect list" Morgan said

"He's devolving too rapidly. He's gonna attack again soon. We're gonna have to trust this Abby guy with the profile. Let's go" Gideon said, leaving the crime scene with Morgan.

…..

"He's leaving, but not the way we thought" Hotch said returning to the car with Lilith.

"What do you mean?" Lilith asked

"He's seeing his oncologist" Hotch said

"Oh, god. It makes sense. The banks, the attorney. He's putting his affairs in order" Lilith said as they followed Abby to a park.

"Wait here" Hotch said as he got out of the car and walked over to Abby.

"Which one is your son?" Hotch asked

"Catcher" Abby replied

"Does he know you're here?" Hotch asked

"I think so, but we have an arrangement" Abby said simply

"What's that?" Hotch asked

"We both pretend I'm not" Abby admitted

"I'm sorry. How long do you have?" Hotch asked

"6 months would be a miracle" Abby explained

"And you haven't told anyone?" Hotch asked

"No. It's Leukaemia. Lust can be lethal. I started the EDF right after I was diagnosed. How did you know?" Abby asked

"My father, when I was in high school everyone knew he had affairs even my mother… but nobody talked about it, so I decided to confront him. And I followed him… the lawyer's, the doctor's, the banks, the weight-loss, and it all came back. He had lung cancer" Hotch explained

"Well, you know what benzene is?" Abby asked

"I know it causes cancer" Hotch stated

"Leukaemia. It's also highly flammable. They kept it in underground tanks. It's expensive to clean up… cheaper to hide. My specialty. Most of the properties were zoned "CR", commercial… warehouses where nobody worked, so what's the harm, right? I just found out that one of those jobs was sold and rezoned "ES". Elementary school" Abby explained

"And you didn't report it?" Hotch asked

"I report it, they come after me and I leave nothing for my son. That's why I started the EDF, the L.U.S.T. List. I was trying to do the right thing" Abby explained

"You still can" Hotch said simply

"I don't know who he is" Abby explained

"He was at your house last night and he was angry" Hotch said handing Abby a file of the photos.

"Everybody was angry last night; they were furious that I shut it all down" Abby explained flipping through the photos.

"He was angry for a different reason. What you said enraged him. But he's a coward, he wouldn't confront you. He was probably the only one who wasn't angry at the time. He didn't express anything until after he left" Hotch explained as Abby paused on a picture.

"Vincent Stiles" Abby said handing him the photo.

"Thank you" Hotch said as Abby walked off.

"Vincent Stiles. Abby's leaving, keep a trail on him until we have stiles just to be sure" Hotch said to Castro

"Copy that. I have Abby" Castro said back

….

Lilith and Hotch met up with the team at Vincent's house. S.W.A.T knocked down the door as they moved through the house.

"Clear!" Hotch called out

"Gideon, he's not here" Morgan called out as Hotch looked in the bed room and found photos.

"He got the company names from the EDF website, then he watched the offices until he found employees that suited his taste" Hotch said

"He just left, a neighbour saw him leave. He's a pharmaceutical sales rep, he's been living here since his divorce 6 weeks ago" Lilith explained walking over to Hotch and Morgan.

"That's the stressor" Hotch said as Morgan's phone rang.

"Yeah, talk to me. Yeah, I'll let him know" Morgan said hanging up.

"What?" Hotch asked

"Abby shook the tail we had on him" Morgan explained as Hotch stormed off annoyed.

"So, you and Reid seem to be getting along again" Morgan said softly

"Is now really a good time?" Lilith asked confused and Morgan shrugged before following Hotch out of the house.

They drove back to the local station and Lilith walked over to Reid as Gideon followed Hotch into his office.

"Garcia checked Abby's phone records, and he called Stiles right after I left him" Hotch said annoyed

"Well, you saw something in Abby that you identified with" Gideon said simply

"I catch killers, I save lives, I'm a hero, until my key hits my front door, and then I'm just the father and the husband who's never there" Hotch explained

"I got that one" Gideon said

"Here's the thing. When I'm home, I'm in this silent panic because I know that I have to be as good as I can as fast as I can, because any minute the phone is gonna ring and my time is up, and that panic is exactly what I saw in Abby" Hotch explained

"Good. You're Abby. You're a dead man walking, you gotta make this right. You have no time left, how do you do it? Come on, don't think about it, you know the answer. What is it?" Gideon asked

"I'd stop him" Hotch said firmly

"How?" Gideon asked

"I'd burn him. The same way he killed them. I'd do it where nobody could get hurt. Which is why I would call it in first" Hotch said walking out of the office.

"We got a 9-1-1 anonymous tip for a fire in the harbour district" Vegas said

"Is it a warehouse?" Hotch asked

"Yeah. 6000 san alameda" Vegas said

"Can you call Garcia?" Hotch asked Morgan

"She's right here" Morgan said holding up his phone.

"Hey, Garcia, can you check the zoning code on a warehouse at 6000 san alameda?" Hotch asked

"Yeah, I certainly can" Garcia said as Lilith walked over to them.

"The SFPD chopper circled the harbour twice. There's no sign of fire" Lilith said

"Ok, 6000 san alameda is a commercial storage facility. But it looks like the property was just sold and the lot was approved for zone conversion" Garcia said

"'CR' to 'ES'" Hotch guessed

"Yeah, that's right" Garcia said hanging up.

"'Cr', commercial, what's 'ES'?" Castro asked

"Elementary school, and there's a leaking benzene tank underneath it. It's not a false alarm" Hotch said as he and Morgan left the room.

"But there's no fire there" Castro called out

"There's about to be" Lilith said with a sigh.

…..

"We can't put a benzene fire out with water. All water does is spread it around, it burns too hot. Contaminates the ground table" Vegas said to Gideon as they sped towards the warehouse.

"So we'll let it burn" Gideon said

"We exhaust the fuel. All we can do is cordon it off, stop it from spreading, and let the benzene burn out. Do you understand?" Vegas asked

"Yeah, I got it" Gideon said simply

"Does Agent Hotchner?" Vegas asked as Gideon called Morgan who was with Hotch.

"Yeah, what's up?" Morgan asked answering the phone.

"Don't put me on speaker. Just listen" Gideon said

Morgan listened to Gideon and as he hung up an announcement came over the radio.

"All engines confirm the report of ignition 6000 block of San Alameda" A lady said as the team saw the fire in the distance. Morgan slowed down the car and finally stopped.

"Morgan, what are you doing?" Hotch asked

"Hotch, it's too late, man, I'm sorry" Morgan said as Hotch jumped out of the car. Gideon and Morgan caught him

"Hotch… stop! Stop, stop!" Gideon said firmly as they held Hotch back.

"He's burning to death and we're just gonna stand here?" Hotch yelled

"Look at it, man! It's over!" Morgan said

"He wanted his death to mean something" Hotch said with a sigh before walking back to the car, upset.

…


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 12 – Stay Strong, Be Proud**

Lilith walked up the steps of an apartment and walked over the front door. She knocked nervously before waiting. When it opened Reid stood there.

"Lilith?" Reid asked confused.

"Can we talk?" Lilith asked and Reid nodded before letting her into his house and closing the door behind him.

"Can I get you a drink?" Reid asked and Lilith shook her head before sitting on the couch and motioning for Reid to sit next to her.

"What's wrong?" Reid asked and Lilith bit her lip nervously before sighing.

"Do you… do you remember when you first found out about my parents?" Lilith asked softly.

"Yes, it was 2 months after we first met and we had to pick a serial killer to do our research speech on…

 _4 years earlier…_

" _Lilith!" A 21-year-old Reid called out running over to his friend, a 23-year-old Lilith Fallon._

" _What's up Reid?" Lilith asked_

" _We got the list of serial killers we can do our research and speech on" Reid said excitedly handing Lilith some papers. She read through the list silently as Reid ranted beside her._

" _There are so many to choose from Lilith, I don't know how to narrow down which one to do. First there is Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono; The Hillside Stranglers, Ted Bundy, Dennis Rader; The BTK Killer, Jeffrey Dahmer, Jack the Ripper, Justin and Rosemary Blackwell" Reid said and Lilith froze and stopped walking suddenly._

" _What did you just say?" Lilith asked, her skin white as a ghost._

" _Justin and Rosemary Blackwell?" Reid asked confused._

" _You can't do your research on them" Lilith said firmly._

" _Why not?" Reid asked confused._

" _Because… because they are vile, inhuman scum who don't deserve the fame…" Lilith said heatedly._

" _How are they different from any of the others?" Reid asked still confused._

" _Just please, don't do it" Lilith explained lamely._

" _Okay… well, I'll choose Jeffrey Dahmer then, who are you choosing?" Reid asked still confused._

" _I think I'm going to pick Jack the Ripper" Lilith said sighing in relief._

… _.._

"That wasn't the moment you realized who my parents were, Reid" Lilith said simply

"It is when I remember it" Reid muttered playfully and Lilith glared jokingly at him.

"It was on the day we had to give our speeches…

" _Rich Wilson, your turn" The lecturer said and a 23-year-old male stepped into the front of the classroom. Lilith and Reid didn't like him because he would make fun of Reid for being so young._

" _Serial Killers come in many forms; male, female, brothers, sisters, cousins and finally husband and wife. I have chosen to do my research on one of most infamous husband and wife serial killing duos, Justin and Rosemary Blackwell" Rich said and Lilith paled dramatically. Reid looked at her confused and concerned._

" _For 2 years Justin and Rosemary Blackwell kidnapped, raped and murdered 12 boys between the ages of 10 and 12. They used a ruse where Rosemary would distract the parents and Justin would come in and kidnap the boy. They would then disappear to a house out in the middle of nowhere, completely off the grid for roughly 2 months before returning to kidnap a new boy" Rich explained while Lilith tried to zone out and keep her breathing steady._

" _Ultimately Justin and Rosemary were caught and arrested because of their only daughter; a 12-year-old Lily Blackwell. When they kidnapped 12-year-old Tyler Wyatt, they brought their daughter along to help with the ruse. Instead she disappeared and gave a shop keeper a simple note. It said 'FBI, HELP' and then a set of co-ordinates. When FBI profiler David Rossi realized another boy had been taken he made the connection with the note and the local police caught and arrested Justin and Rosemary, ultimately saving Tyler and Lily" Rich continued as tears was brought to Lilith's eyes._

" _When Agent Rossi interviewed Lily, he asked her why she left that note and Lily replied 'because they killed Steve' who was later discovered as her twin brother and their first victim. Lily then continued to tell with great detail that she had to try and keep the boys alive and when they died she was forced to bury them as punishment. Lily's last statement to the police and FBI before she changed her name and disappeared was 'My parents are vile, inhuman scum who don't deserve this fame''' Rich finished his speech and Reid instantly made the connection, Lilith Fallon was Lily Blackwell. Lilith blinked away tears before she stood up and left the room, ignoring the lecturer calling her name._

….

"I chased after you that day, but you had disappeared by the time I got into the hallway" Reid admitted and Lilith smiled sadly.

"That night you found me passed out in a pile of my own vomit and alcohol. You took me to the hospital and you saved my life" Lilith stated and took his hand in hers.

"I sat with you all day until you woke up" Reid said remembering the event very well…

 _Reid knocked on Lilith's dorm door but still got no response. He was worried about her because she hadn't picked up any of his phone calls._

" _Lilith, if you can hear me, please just make a noise so I know you are alive" Reid begged through the door. He lent against the door, determined not to leave her alone when suddenly he heard a loud thump like someone falling to the floor. Reid stepped back and with all his strength and the adrenaline rush, he broke through the door and found Lilith lying face down in a puddle of vomit and empty vodka bottles surrounding her._

" _Lilith!" Reid yelled and rolled her onto her side as he pulled out his phone and called the ambulance. He checked for a pulse and quickly found one, but it was faint._

" _Come on Lilith, stay with me. I can't lose you, you're my best friend. I don't care about your past; you are my best friend" Reid whispered to an unconscious Lilith as he waited nervously for the ambulance to get there._

…..

"A week later you came to my dorm and gave me a bracelet, do you remember what you had engraved on the charm?" Lilith said fondly.

"Stay Strong, Be Proud" Reid said smiling.

"Did you know that even though the chain broke a few years later, I keep the charm on me every day" Lilith asked and Reid looked confused.

"Where?" He asked and Lilith pulled down the shoulder of her shirt to reveal her bra strap with a keyring and a charm attached to it. Reid looked at it shocked.

"It has helped me every day since you gave it to me because I know that you are with me always" Lilith admitted before take it off and placing it in Reid's hand.

"Right now, you need to stay strong and be proud of the decision you made to get clean and know that I am always with you" Lilith said and Reid looked at the charm shocked.

"I can't… this is yours" Reid said choking on his emotions.

"You can and you will… until you are clean for a year. You will carry it with you always like I did and know that I am always with you, like you were for me" Lilith said leaving no room for argument.

"What about you?" Reid asked tracing the engraving with his thumb.

"I have that covered" Lilith said before pulling down her other shoulder to reveal another keyring with a heart locket attached. She opened the locket to reveal a photo of Reid and Lilith smiling after a night out to celebrate Lilith joining the team.

"Thank you" Reid said a tear rolling down his cheek.

"You are very welcome Reid" Lilith said before pulling him in for a hug.

….


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 13: Honor Amongst Thieves**

"Haley wants to know if you want to come over for dinner?" Hotch asked Lilith as they sat in his office.

"When?" Lilith asked, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"Tomorrow night if you are free" Hotch said

"Reid is at a meeting so yeah sounds good" Lilith said before Hotch stood up suddenly.

"What is it?" Lilith asked as U.S. Ambassador, Elizabeth Prentiss walked into the room with two unknown civilians.

"We need your help Agent Hotchner" Prentiss said firmly, shaking hands with Hotch.

"I'll just go" Lilith started to say but Hotch stopped her.

"No, it's okay. U.S Ambassador, Elizabeth Prentiss please meet Agent Lilith Fallon" Hotch introduced and they shook hands before Hotch motioned for them to sit down.

"What is this about?" Hotch asked kindly.

"I found my father's car last night when I took out the garbage. The door was open, and his bag was on the ground, but he was gone" Natalya Chernus explained.

"Gone?" Lilith asked

"He's been kidnapped" Ambassador Prentiss said

"Are you sure?" Hotch asked

"Yes" Natalya said

"Have you been to the police?" Hotch asked

"They came directly to me. As I think you can understand, Agent, they don't easily trust the authorities" Ambassador Prentiss explained

"There are protocols, Ambassador Prentiss, the local police. There's an FBI office in Baltimore" Hotch explained

"Yes, but you do handle kidnapping cases, don't you? The B.A.U.? I'm-it is your mandate" Ambassador Prentiss asked firmly

"Yes, when necessary" Hotch stated

"Mrs. Chernus' brother, Natalya's uncle, worked for me at the embassy in the Ukraine" Ambassador Prentiss explained

"Be that as it may, there are channels these cases must go through, and if our particular expertise is required…" Hotch started to say before getting interrupted by Natalya's Aunty speaking in Russian.

"Please. We don't have time" Natalya said

"It's just not something that's up to us" Lilith tried to explain.

"I told you they wouldn't help. Officials are the same everywhere" Natalya's Mother, Zina said in Russian.

"We want to help you, but there are protocols to go through. You must understand this" Lilith said back to her in Russian. Zina sighed and nodded.

"Please. It's already 8:15 in the morning" Natalya begged

"The kidnappers left a note demanding $100,000 be wired to a bank account in Moscow by noon today. That's less than 4 hours" Ambassador Prentiss explained.

"They say if we don't, they'll send another... piece every 6 hours after" Natalya added

"Another piece?" Hotch asked as Natalya pulled out a piece of paper which had a finger and a ring in it.

"That's my father's wedding ring. Please help him" Natalya begged as Zina sobbed at the sight of her husband's finger.

…

The team gathered in the conference room with Zina, Natalya and Ambassador Prentiss. An agent came in and picked up the finger, putting it in an evidence bag. This caused Zina to stand up and cried out in Russian.

"Where are you taking that?" She asked in Russian.

"We need to process it" Lilith replied in Russian as Zina turned to Lilith and explained she would like his wedding ring.

"She wants his wedding ring" Lilith explained in English before leading Zina back to the lounge and explaining to her that she can have his wedding ring in a moment.

"Please, let us hold the cooler. It'll be here if you need it" Natalya begged in English.

"Agent, it's fine for now. You can leave it" Hotch said to her

"Yes, sir" She said simply, handing the cooler over to Natalya.

"This note's in Russian. I need to know the exact text" Reid asked softly

"'Wire $100,000 to Nadka bank account, number 155293846729 by tomorrow noon. If you don't- if you don't, you'll receive another body piece then and every 6 hours after'" Natalya recited

"That's it exactly?" Reid asked

"Exactly. I'll never forget it" Natalya said simply

"There's no personalization, no salutation? It's not addressed to anyone? Your father's name isn't mentioned specifically?" Reid asked confused

"No" Natalya explained

"That's odd" Reid said sitting down.

"Most ransom notes are personalized. Frightens the families to know that they've been specifically chosen, watched for a time" Morgan explained

"It doesn't even say not to call the police" JJ added

"Russian expats don't have the greatest experience with their home government. They tend not to trust officials" Lilith explained from her spot with Zina.

"Well, there's another reason they aren't worried. According to the note, they aren't planning on contacting them again" Gideon said

"It's completely self-contained. They expect their instructions to be followed" Hotch added

"We don't have $100,000" Natalya said

"They seem to think that you do" Morgan said firmly

"Garcia, can you get any information on the account?" Hotch asked

"I'm already checking. The account number does seem to correspond with that bank" Garcia explained

"Can you get the account holder's name?" Hotch asked

"I have no idea how Russian banks store their data, how their servers are structured. We'd have to call the bank directly" Garcia explained

"No way. There's no way a Russian bank is gonna give information on personal accounts" Lilith explained

"Well, I could try to go through the embassy in Moscow" Ambassador Prentiss said

"And say what? The FBI is looking for information on Russian citizens' bank accounts? I mean, if we were lucky, we'd spend the next 6 years drowning in red tape" Lilith scoffed

"I can make some calls. I may still have some friends in the eastern countries" Ambassador Prentiss said

"That would be a great help, Ambassador" Hotch said

"If you'll excuse me" Ambassador Prentiss said before leaving.

"We don't have much time. We need a division of labour. Um, Morgan, somebody needs to go to the Chernus house in Baltimore in case they are contacted again" Hotch said

"You got it" Moran said nodding

"I wanna be there" Natalya said firmly

"That's a good idea. Are you able to stay with the mother until we get a translator up here?" Hotch asked Lilith

"No problem" Lilith said

"Then Mrs. Chernus should stay with us' Hotch said

"I'll meet with Agent Cramer in Baltimore..." Gideon said

"See if he has similar open cases" Gideon said as the team left the conference room. Lilith lead Zina Chernus down to the bullpen and sat her at a desk while the rest of the team, minus Hotch, flew to Baltimore.

"Can I get you something, Mrs. Chernus? Water?" Lilith asked in Russian but Zina shook her head and looked at the clocks.

"Ambassador Prentiss has got feelers out. She's confident she can get results" Hotch said as Lilith walked over to him.

"Well, if anybody can, it's Ambassador Prentiss" Lilith said

"How's she doing?" Hotch asked

"How would you be?" Lilith asked

"Right" Hotch said as JJ walked over to them.

"Uh, Agent Cramer is meeting Gideon and Reid at the Chernus house. This is the translator. I've already briefed her" JJ explained

"Will you introduce her to Mrs. Chernus?" Hotch asked JJ.

"Come on. Right this way" JJ said as they walked over to Zina.

"Where would you like me?" Lilith asked Hotch.

"See if the Ambassador needs any help" Hotch said and Lilith nodded.

….


	50. Chapter 50

Reid and Gideon leant against their car waiting for Agent Cramer.

"How are you and Fallon?" Gideon asked casually

"We are a lot better now. Thank you for your advice" Reid said smiling

"I didn't say anything that you didn't already know" Gideon said simply as Reid nodded

"I'm glad you guys are talking again, maybe one day you'll tell her how you _really_ feel" Gideon added but before Reid could reply a car pulled up.

"Agent Gideon. Long time, no see" Cramer said shaking his hand.

"Agent Cramer. Remember Dr. Reid?" Gideon asked as Reid shook his hand.

"Absolutely" Cramer said laughing

"Been briefed on the case?" Gideon asked

"Didn't need to be. Been working these mutilation kidnappings for over a year" Cramer explained

"Really?" Gideon asked

"Yeah, and I got zipped. No one cooperates. Families don't. The witnesses don't. Hell, even the victims aren't talking. I must have a dozen guys walking around with missing ring fingers" Cramer explained

"Why?" Gideon asked

"Cause we're dealing with criminals" Cramer said

"Obviously" Reid simply

"Not just the kidnappers, genius. I'm talking about the victims, too. These are Russian criminals kidnapping other, Russian criminals" Cramer explained

"Are you sure?" Reid asked

"It's the Russian mob. These guys are bold, efficient. There's no regard for leaving evidence, and let me guess. In the note, there's no warning not to go to the police. There's a clear assumption that they won't" Cramer said

"So you think the Chernus family's involved in organized crime?" Gideon asked

"Well, these guys are ruthless, but they don't normally kidnap civilians. They target people they know have money they snuck into the country- other mobsters, other criminals. They won't go the police, because they have something to hide themselves" Cramer explained

"Only, this family did come to us" Reid said

"And they don't have any money" Gideon added

"Well, they all say that" Cramer stated

"Get Garcia on the horn" Gideon said and Reid called her.

"Your friendly neighbourhood oracle of all things knowable and unknowable at your service" Garcia said

"Garcia, I need you to do a background search on the entire Chernus family" Reid explained

"The victims?" Garcia asked confused

"Yeah, get us everything you can on them- financial records, employment, immigration status. We need that as soon as possible" Reid explained

"I know. I know. We're on the clock. I will compile and reconnect forthwith, junior G-man. Oracle out" Garcia said hanging up.

"Junior G-man?" Reid asked confused

"If the Chernus's are hiding anything, Garcia will get it to us" Reid explained

"Alright" Cramer said simply as Gideon looked over at the house to see Natalya looking out the window.

"Why are they just standing around?" Natalya asked Morgan asked he walked around the house.

"Natalya, that's the head of the local office out there. It wouldn't do us any good to go running around without any information" Morgan explained

"What kind of information do you need?" Natalya asked

"Sometimes that's not clear until we actually find it. Just the three of you living here?" Morgan asked

"I had 2 brothers, but they died of diphtheria when we were children" Nataly explained

"I'm sorry" Morgan said softly

"It was a long time ago. Andrei was 4. Sergei was 6. I was 5" Natalya explained

"That must have been terrible" Morgan commented

"It was hard on my parents. It was never really the same after" Natalya explained

"How do you mean?" Morgan asked

"They never smiled again, neither of them, ever…" Natalya explained as Morgan picked up a photo.

"Who's this?" Morgan asked

"It's my grandfather. He held a party job in the former government. When communism fell, he was arrested" Natalya explained

"Arrested? He was a criminal?" Morgan asked

"In the new Russia. He died a year later in prison. We were already here for 3 years by then. We fled in 1988" Natalya explained

"You fled?" Morgan asked

"We were smuggled out in delivery trucks. My father never really believed, even with democracy, Russia could ever change. He was right. What he didn't expect was that it would allow criminals to follow. They prey on us here" Natalya explained

"In America, they can only hurt you if you're afraid to ask for help" Morgan said

"Is that really true?" Natalya asked

"Most of the time" Morgan said

"I hope, for my father's sake this is one of those times" Natalya said softly as she looked back out to see Cramer, Reid and Gideon still talking.

"This all involves the Russian mafia. It's really beefed up around here the last 10 years or so. Started off mainly New York and L.A. But they send lieutenants from the old country, Pakhans they call them to open branch offices in other cities" Cramer explained

"Like Baltimore" Reid stated

"St. Louis, Chicago, Dallas...List goes on. They're mainly offshoots of the Odessa mafia and they're especially tough to crack from the law enforcement standpoint. I mean, besides being well organized with sophisticated technical equipment there's Vory V Zakone to contend with" Cramer continued

"The thieves code. 18 principles they live by" Reid added

"It's like a bible to these guys. Stepping outside of it means certain death. We're not gonna be turning any of them informer anytime soon" Cramer finished

"Then we need a witness who'll talk" Gideon said simply

"There's not much chance of that" Cramer said as Gideon walked past Cramer and over to a neighbour's house.

"Gideon?" Cramer asked

"Wait here" Gideon said simply before knocking on the front door. An elderly man opened it.

"Mr. Gorban?" Gideon asked and Mr. Gorban looked confused.

"Your name's right here on the mailbox. Mr. Gorban, please" Gideon said as he stopped him from closing the door. Mr. Gorban placed a hand on Gideon's arm and it was missing his ring finger.

"Who are you?" Gorban asked

"I'm with the FBI. Please, sir. Your neighbour's have had some trouble" Gideon stated

"This has nothing to do with me" Gorban snapped

"You all live in the same community" Gideon explained

"I mind my own business" Gorban said

"Been watching us since we got here" Gideon argued

"Mr. Gorban, last night somebody grabbed Mr. Chernus right off the street. They would've had to have had a vehicle to do it large vehicle, a van. did you see anything like that? Something you can describe for me?" Gideon asked as black car pulled up and Gorban looked scared.

"I saw nothing. Get off my porch" Gorban snapped and shut the door in his face.

"Mr. Gorban. Mr. Gorban" Gideon said but got no response. Gideon walked over to Cramer and Reid.

"Guess who" Cramer said simply

"You know these guys?" Reid asked

"Oh, yeah. Arseny Lysowsky" Cramer said

"Agent, uh, Cramer how are you?" Lysowsky asked

"What brings you out, Lysowsky?" Cramer asked back

"I heard Chernus's had problems" Lysowsky said simply

"How did you hear that?" Gideon asked

"And you are?" Lysowsky asked

"Chernus's said they hadn't told anyone" Gideon added

"This is a small community. Word gets out. Are you a friend of Gorban's?" Lysowsky asked

"Mr. Gorban wouldn't talk to me" Gideon stated

"Would you like me to talk to him for you? I can't promise something will come of it…" Lysowsky started to say before Natalya and Morgan came out of the house.

"You! Where's my father?!" Natalya shouted

"Wait a minute!" Morgan said grabbing Natalya.

"Do you know he has your father?" Morgan asked

"He's responsible for all this, why everyone's afraid him and his animals" Natalya spat angrily

"I'm only here to help" Lysowsky replied

"Help? You're a dog!" Natalya snapped

"How exactly can you help?" Gideon asked

"In any way they'd like me to. As I said, this is a small community. If one is in pain, we're all in pain" Lysowsky said before turning to Natalya.

"Natalya... You didn't have to bring outsiders. Let me help you" Lysowsky said in Russian.

"My family will never come to you for help. Get away from my house!" Natalya replied in Russian.

"You are not right, Natalya. You have made the wrong decision" Lysowsky replied in Russian before walking away with his men.

"What did he say? Did he threaten you, Natalya?" Morgan asked but she remained silent.

"Talk to us, and we can do something about it. What did he say?" Morgan asked again

"He said I made the wrong decision. I hope I didn't" Natalya explained before walking back inside.

"Natalya. Natalya. You all right?" Morgan asked following her back inside the house.

"In 2 hours, if we don't send someone money we don't have my father will be mutilated again, so, no, I'm not really all right" Natalya explained

"We're working on it" Morgan replied

"You're working on it? You're standing right here with me. The rest of you are standing in front of the house. What exactly are you doing?" Natalya snapped

"We collect details. There are things that people may not even realize but they help tell us who we're looking for. I look around. I see no family pictures after your brothers died no pictures of you at all after that day. You had to graduate high school here, yeah? There's nothing to commemorate it anywhere. You don't have a family room so this should be the center of your home but look at your furniture. Sure, they may be old antiques, but they look new. They're hardly ever used. Nobody sits here. You have 2 chairs at your dining table but 3 people live here so obviously you don't eat together. Your shoes, they may look like Prada but they're knockoffs. Your bag, it's a fake designer bag. I mean no disrespect, Natalya but you're trying to look like something you aren't. That tells me that you have no money and you just don't want anybody to know" Morgan explained

"Why'd you need to know all this?" Natalya asked

"It's what we call victimology and it's very important. We need to know why these people chose your family to victimize" Morgan explained as Reid, Morgan and Cramer talked outside.

"You have any information on Lysowsky at your field office?" Gideon asked

"Got a lot about the organization less about him personally" Cramer explained

"I'll get Garcia on it" Reid said

"You have other kidnapping mutilation case files?" Gideon asked

"Thin ones" Cramer explained

"2 hours, 14 minutes. Before you call Garcia, give Morgan the keys to the suburban. We're going to Agent Cramer's office" Gideon stated

"I can give you a crash course on everything you need to know about these people" Cramer added

…..


	51. Chapter 51

Lilith looked around Prentiss's house as she stood behind her desk.

"I looked up all the Agents in the BAU" Prentiss said

"Yeah?" Lilith asked uninterested, looking at a bookshelf.

"There wasn't much on you" Prentiss stated

"Not much to tell" Lilith lied

"You don't seem to like me that much" Prentiss said

"Not you as a person, Ambassador. I don't like politics" Lilith explained politely.

"How are you enjoying the B.A.U.? You are the newest member, right?" Prentiss asked

"I am the newest member yes, but, enjoying is an odd description" Lilith said

"Is it?" Prentiss asked confused

"Well, we, um, deal with some pretty horrible things" Lilith explained

"If you don't want to be there, why did you take the job?" Prentiss asked curiously

"I want to be here" Lilith said firmly

"Then you do enjoy it" Prentiss stated

"All I'm saying is 'enjoy' feels wrong" Lilith argued

"All right. What would you call it?" Prentiss asked and Lilith sighed.

"With all due respect, Ambassador, why do you care?" Lilith asked but before she could replied

"Ambassador" A woman said walking into the room before she could reply.

"Yes?" Prentiss asked

"Gregor Popovich returning" The woman explained

"Thank you" Prentiss said picking up the phone and putting him on loud speaker.

"Gregor. I have an Agent Fallon in the room with me. You have some good news for me, I hope" Prentiss said

"I'm afraid not. No one in the Russian government is going to officially give you permission to look into the account holder information in this bank" Gregor said

"Do they understand this is an emergency?" Prentiss asked

"They were not impressed" Gregor replied

"Uh, thank you for trying, Gregor" Prentiss said

"I wish I could have done more. Good-bye" Gregor said hanging up

"I really thought he could do this" Prentiss said upset

"Um, I should head back to the office and let them know" Lilith said

"Agent Fallon. Please tell Agent Hotchner I'm sorry" Prentiss said softly and Lilith nodded.

"Of course" Lilith said walking out of the room.

….

"These tattoos are amazingly detailed" Reid said as they got back to the local station.

"It's a form of communication. Each tattoo has meaning. Symbols tells the other criminals who the counterfeiters are the murderers, the armed robbers. There's a guide in that folder right there" Cramer explained as Reid sat down and started flipping through the papers.

"You said they were very organized" Gideon said

"A boss called a Pakhan, or a head thief in law controls 4 criminal cells. Now, Lysowsky is the Pakhan in this area. The Pakhan employs 2 underbosses to watch over the brigadiers. You saw them today with Lysowsky" Cramer explained

"Uh, what's that circle over there to the right?" Reid asked

"The Obochek. It's a pooled monetary fund the groups use for bribes and other types of support" Cramer explained

"And where does that money come from?" Gideon asked

"Nobody really knows. I'd guess it comes from any number of sources, above and below. It really is just an open pool of cash that any Pakhan can use almost without question" Cramer explained as the phone rang and he put it on speaker.

"Penelope Garcia from Quantico" A male's voice said

"Put her through" Cramer replied

"What do you have, Garcia?" Gideon asked

"Ok, finding information on this man not as easy as you think. Arseny Lysowsky, born 1940 in Dolgoprudniy. Seems to be a lifelong criminal. I have no employment records of him at all. Married Katya Fulenko in 1960. She died 2 years later. He served 23 years in 4 remote prisons in perm. That's a remote region of the northern Ural Mountains, for those of you playing the home game. He seems to be in America legally and I have searched every nook and cranny of the Chernus's' lives and I have found nothing even remotely untoward. They're law-abiding, taxpaying American citizens" Garcia explained

"Thank you, Garcia" Gideon said hanging up.

"Vory v Zakone" Gideon muttered

"The thieves code. Breaking any of those tenets is punishable by death" Reid explained

"'Forsake all relatives, mother, father, brother, sister. Not have a family of his own. No wife. No children'" Gideon read

"Family makes you vulnerable" Reid explained his mind wondering his own family; Lilith.

"Lysowsky owns a restaurant called little Kiev. Well, you're not gonna find too many civilians eating there" Cramer explained

"But it doesn't say anything in here about helping a non-thief" Gideon stated

"No, sir" Cramer replied

"Well, why would he offer to help the Chernus's?" Gideon asked

"Well, the Chernus's are probably fellow criminals" Cramer explained

"Why…why do you kidnap the father, and then you offer to help get him back?" Gideon asked

"If I understand this man, it ju… just doesn't make any sense. Where would he be right now?" Gideon asked

"Probably where he always is, in little Kiev restaurant" Cramer explained

…

Lilith arrived back at the BAU and walked up to Hotch's office, knocking on his door.

"Anything?" Hotch asked

"Her contacts fell through" Lilith explained

"Really?" Hotch asked confused

"Apparently she's not infallible" Lilith said

"Was there something else?" Hotch asked

"No. Uh, I just wish there was something more we could be doing for this family" Lilith muttered

"We still have over an hour" Hotch said

"Yeah" Lilith nodded.

…..

"Are you hungry? I can make something" Natalya said to Morgan as he looked through some books.

"Oh, no. No. Thanks. I'm fine" Morgan said kindly

"I guess I'm like my mother. When she's upset, she cooks" Natalya said with a sigh

"Heh. Really? Yeah, mine does, too. I think that's just a, uh, mom thing" Morgan joked

"Where is your mother?" Natalya asked

"Chicago. That's where I'm from" Morgan explained

"I'm from Dolgoprudniy, just north of Moscow" Natalya explained before there was a knock on the door.

"You expecting someone?" Morgan asked

"No" Natalya said suddenly as Morgan stood up and looked through the window to find a teenage boy.

"It's Uri. Lives down the street" Natalya explained

"Go ahead" Morgan said as she opened the door.

"A man said to give this to you" Uri said holding out a box.

"What?" Natalya asked confused

"He said you needed it right away" Uri explained in Russian. Natalya opened the box to discover an ear. She screamed and ran inside as Morgan looked at the box.

"Get in the house. Get in the house" Morgan said to Uri, shoving the teenager inside. He ran out into the street but couldn't see anything.

….


	52. Chapter 52

"Welcome to little Kiev" Cramer said as they pulled up outside a restaurant.

"These tattoos are like books on their skin gives their whole life story" Reid commented flipping through the files.

"Well, these guys are nothing if not dedicated" Cramer commented

"This all the information you have on additional kidnappings?" Gideon asked

"Like I said, no one cooperates. Most of those pictures, the guys with the missing ring fingers we had to take 'em from surveillance vehicles even when we confronted them and asked them about the obviously fresh wounds, none of 'em would talk. Vory v Zakone" Cramer said

"So they're all criminals?" Gideon asked

"They were kidnapped, and they aren't dead" Cramer said

"So they're paying" Gideon concluded before his phone rang.

"Gideon. They didn't wait, man" Morgan said rushed.

"What?" Gideon asked

"They didn't wait until noon Morgan repeated

"What are you talking about?" Gideon asked

"A kid just came to the door, and he had… they cut off Mr. Chernus' ear" Morgan explained

"But the-they got more than an hour left" Gideon said

"They had the kid deliver it in a box with a handwritten note and it says, 'we now want $500,000, and you have until 1:00'" Morgan explained

"Raised the ransom. Why? Why?" Gideon asked

"Well, it also says, 'say hello to the FBI.'" Morgan explained

"Ok" Gideon said sighing

"What do you want me to do?" Morgan asked

"Let Hotch and Fallon know what happened. Where's Natalya?" Gideon asked

"In the bathroom, and she's hysterical" Morgan explained

"Let her know we're gonna bring her father home" Gideon said

"Are we?" Morgan asked

"Yes" Gideon said hanging up

"They didn't wait?" Reid asked

"They cut off his ear. They increased the ransom to half a million" Gideon explained

"How much money do they think the Chernus's have?" Reid asked

"Agent Cramer, I'm gonna have to ask you to wait outside while we talk to Lysowsky" Gideon said simply

"Why?" Cramer asked

"He knows you. He deals with you on a regular basis. You're someone he needs to save face with. I don't want him posturing" Gideon explained before they walked into the building only to be stopped by a large man.

"There is nothing for you here" He said firmly to Gideon, who looked over at Lysowsky.

"No, it's all-it's all right, Alexander. Allow the gentlemen in" Lysowsky said as Gideon and Reid walked over to his table.

"Would you like something to eat? This borscht is exquisite. It's my mother's old country recipe" Lysowsky explained

"Didn't you forsake all your relatives when you swore the thieves code?" Reid asked

"I didn't forsake her recipes, Borscht?" Lysowsky asked

"No, thanks" Reid said simply

"I'd love a taste" Gideon said smiling

"You know; you should take some home. You will not regret" Lysowsky said

"We need to talk, Arseny" Gideon said

"We are on a first-name basis? I still don't even know who you are" Lysowsky said as Gideon shrugged

"I think I understand something about this. You have a problem" Gideon said before thanking the man who brought some food over.

"I do?" Lysowsky asked

"That's why you came to the Chernus's' house this morning" Gideon said

"I went there to offer my help" Lysowsky said

"There's no reason I can see for a man like you to help a family like the Chernus's" Gideon stated

"Man like me?" Lysowsky asked

"4 watchtowers and a convict signifies a stay in prison. Each one of those crosses represents an individual sentence" Reid explained

"23 years in prison in the Ural Mountains... doesn't breed a compassionate friend" Gideon added

"You think you know Russian prison life?" Lysowsky asked

"I know human behaviour. You haven't where you've gotten in this organization by reaching out to civilian families in need. No, sir. You have a problem, Arseny. Someone in your organization's out of control" Gideon explained

"You may know American behaviour... but you don't understand us. Don't forget your borscht on the way out" Lysowsky said standing up.

"If anyone in Odessa learns you have a maverick you lose everything" Gideon said

"Good-bye" Lysowsky said firmly

"They might even kill you" Gideon said

"I am in control. You know tattoos?" Lysowsky asked Reid, who nodded simply.

"Then you'll know what this means" Lysowsky said opening his shirt to reveal a cross.

"You're a thief in law, the boss" Reid stated

"In my world, there is no such a thing as a control problem. There is controlled... and there is dead" Lysowsky said firmly

'Mr. Lysowsky...you said you could help me" Natalya said walking into the room.

"Don't you already have help?' Lysowsky asked

"I made a mistake. I talked to my father on the phone. He's fine" Natalya said to Gideon and Reid.

"What?" Reid asked confused

"Thank you for coming, but I don't need your help" Natalya said firmly

…..

Lilith watched as Hotch and the translator informed Zina about her husband's ear and she broke down into tears.

"Has something happened?" Ambassador Prentiss asked walking into the BAU.

"Yes. The kidnappers didn't wait until noon. They cut off Mr. Chernus' ear and sent it to his daughter" Lilith explained

"Oh, god. Is he…" Prentiss asked

"No. We don't think so. But they've given us a new deadline and increased the ransom demand. You still think I enjoy all of this?" Lilith scoffed

"Are they still instructed to wire the money to the same bank in Moscow?" Prentiss asked

"Yes. I think so" Lilith said

"Something your computer expert said this morning about if she understood how Russian banks hold their data she could get information about account holders" Prentiss said

"Right" Lilith nodded

"After you left, I called Gregor back. He made some calls, gave me this. He said she would understand it" Prentiss said holding up a piece of paper.

…..


	53. Chapter 53

Natalya walked out of the building, ignoring Morgan calling her name and got in the car with Lysowsky.

"What are we doing? We're just gonna let her go with him?" Morgan yelled at Cramer, Gideon and Reid.

"What choice do we have, man?" Reid asked

"Oh, so what? What, we get on a plane, we go home and pretend none of this happened?" Morgan scoffed

"We have a victim who claims the crime never occurred" Reid said

"No. We have a daughter of a victim who claims the crime never occurred" Gideon corrected

"Well, if she says that she talks to him and he's ok, then what proof do we have it even happened?" Reid asked

"The body parts" Cramer said

"Where's the ear?" Gideon asked

"Natalya's got it" Morgan said before pulling out his phone and calling JJ.

"Morgan?" JJ asked

"Look in the cooler" Morgan said firmly as she walked into the conference room with Zina, the interpreter and Hotch.

"Mrs. Chernus, I need to look inside the cooler" JJ said

"What?" Hotch asked confused

"It's for Morgan" JJ said confused

"Tell her I-I'm not gonna take anything. I just need to look inside" JJ said softly and Zina nodded and handed her the cooler. JJ opened it before sharing a look with Hotch. She closed it and gave it back to Zina before walking outside.

"It's gone" JJ said before hanging up.

"The finger's gone, too" Morgan said to Cramer, Hotch and Reid. Morgan drove back to the house to find it empty. He walked outside just as the others pulled up.

"She's not here, and the garbage was never taken out" Morgan said

"What?" Reid asked

"When Hotch first talked to her, he said she noticed her father's car in the driveway when she took the garbage out" Morgan explained

"Right…" Reid said

"Garbage can in the kitchen is completely full. She never took it out" Morgan explained

"She lied" Gideon stated

"She could halfway to dogo-wherever by now" Morgan commented

"Dolgoprudniy?" Reid asked

"Yeah. It's the town she's from in Russia" Morgan explained

"Isn't that where Lysowsky's from?" Reid asked Cramer, who nodded.

"So we have a daughter who lied about how she discovered the crime none of the missing body parts to prove anything actually happened and a generic ransom note that mentions no names" Reid stated

"So what are we saying?" Cramer asked

"Natalya was a part of this" Gideon said simply

"How did I not see this coming?" Morgan asked

"How could any of us, man? She sought us out. We were so blinded by the fact that she trusted us that we never considered not trusting her" Reid said

….

"It's bread crumbs" Garcia said to Lilith as she gave her the piece of paper from Prentiss.

"I'm sorry" Lilith asked confused

"It's a set of address strings and passwords a path. See?" Garcia asked and Lilith just blankly started at the screen.

"I'm jumping from site to site, country to country and each time I get a cursor I put in the next address and password. It's the equivalent of bread crumbs to Hansel and Gretel" Garcia explained excitedly

"What is that?" Lilith asked confused as a black and green screen appeared.

"It's downloading the structure of Nadka bank's server to me" Garcia explained

"Are you kidding?" Lilith asked

"Whoever gave these instructions is really good" Garcia commented

"So you can get the account information now?" Lilith asked

"If I can figure this out" Garcia said simply

"So, how are you and our resident know-it-all going?" Garcia asked casually as she typed away.

"We are fine. He is doing everything he promised to make it up to me" Lilith explained simply.

"But, come on… those things he said about…about your past. You still got to be a little bit pissed?" Garcia asked

"After Reid was accepted into the BAU and I wasn't because of my parents… I fell hard into depression. I drunk almost every night, went out every weekend. If Reid wasn't on a case, he was there picking me up every weekend and making sure I got home safe… In those intoxicated moments, I said some nasty things to him as well" Lilith explained softly and Garcia nodded before something beeped from the computer.

"I'm in" Garcia said simply

"You're kidding" Lilith said shocked

"It's a pretty archaic system once the parameters are understood. Account number, please?" Garcia asked

"Ok. 155293846729" Lilith read out as Garcia typed and they saw the account had $500,000.00 US.

….

"Why? Why would she even bring us into this?" Morgan asked before his phone rang.

"Yeah. What? You're sure? Ok. Thanks" Morgan said into the phone before hanging up.

"Garcia just got into the bank's system. Somebody wired $500,000 into the account 10 minutes ago" Morgan explained

"Who wired it?" Reid asked

"She didn't say where it came from, but the name on the account is Lyov Fulenko. She says that's Lysowsky's wife's maiden name, Fulenko" Morgan explained

"Why did she need to bring us in? Because she needed to put pressure on the other victim" Gideon said

"Other victim?" Cramer asked as Gideon walked over to Mr. Gorban.

"Mr. Gorban, I'm not gonna ask you anything official. Just have a simple question" Gideon said quickly

"I don't have anything to say" Gorban said firmly

"You were kidnapped once, Mr. Gorban?" Gideon asked and Gorban nodded slightly.

"When the men kidnapped you, who paid your ransom? Mr. Gorban, your house, the way you're dressed, you don't have any tattoos-you're not a criminal" Gideon explained

"No" Gorban said simply

"Well, how could your family have paid a ransom for you? Was Arseny Lysowsky, wasn't it?" Gideon asked and Gorban looked down.

"Thanks, Mr. Gorban" Gideon said as he closed the door and they drove to The Little Kiev to find Lysowsky.

"You paid the ransom already. Paid all the ransoms" Gideon said simply

"Are they gonna kill Mr. Chernus?" Morgan asked

"No" Lysowsky said simply

"Why are you paying these ransoms? What's going on here?" Gideon asked

"I think I know" Reid said softly

"The account is in the name of Lyov Fulenko. Lyov's a man's name, a son's name. Vory v Zakone. Never have a family of your own. No wife. No children" Reid explained

"'Lyov' You know what it means?" Lysowsky asked

"The Lion" Lysowsky answered

"I knew when the first man was taken. I knew who had done it. No one else would be so bold and so stupid" Lysowsky continued

"Tell me where Mr. Chernus is" Gideon said

"At first, it didn't mean much. It was a way of letting him earn his own money. I could afford it. It came from the fund, and... no one questions the use of the fund" Lysowsky said

"Where is he?" Gideon asked

"What else could I do? I couldn't admit that I wasn't blessing the kidnappings. I couldn't even admit that my son existed. Chernus will be home in a few minutes. You should be there. He's going to need medical attention" Lysowsky explained

"What are you gonna do?" Gideon asked

"Vory v Zakone. We take care of our own troubles" Lysowsky replied simply.

…..

Reid, Morgan and Gideon walked back into the BAU to find it almost empty. They went to their respective desks. Reid grabbed his coat and bag before walking up to see Hotch and Gideon talking about how Mr. Chernus was after they found him at his house and got him medical treatment.

"Reid, I think there is something in the conference room for you" Hotch said casually as Reid looked confused but walked into the conference room to see Lilith, sleeping on the lounge. Reid couldn't help but smile as he walked over and knelt in front of her.

"Lilith…" Reid whispered, shaking her awake.

"Hey Reid" Lilith said sleepily, sitting up.

"What are you still doing here?" Reid asked amused as she looked around confused and saw she was in the conference room.

"Um… we drove in together" Lilith said yawning.

"I could have gotten a cab home, Lilith" Reid said amused as Lilith shrugged, her eyes closing again.

"Come on, you can come stay at mine tonight" Reid said as she helped Lilith walk/sleep walk to her car so he could drive them home.

…


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 14: Open Season**

"Seriously! We've only been here 5 minutes" Garcia said to JJ as they watched Lilith getting chatted up by a guy at the bar.

"Yeah, but look at her, broke away from the group. Guy saw her alone, felt confident, and made his move" JJ said as Lilith asked the guy to join them.

"It must be serious" Garcia whispered as Lilith and the guy walked over to them.

"Ladies, this is Brad, a real F.B.I. Agent" Lilith said with an amused tone as she passed a beer to JJ and Garcia.

"Really?" Garcia asked as they tried not to laugh.

"Really" Lilith said grinning

"No way" JJ added amused.

"That's exciting. What's it like at Quantico?" Garcia asked, purposely miss-pronouncing the word.

"It's, uh, quite impressive" Brad said

"What department are you in?" JJ asked taking a sip of her beer.

"That's classified" Brad said grinning

'Ooh, must be really tough keeping all those secrets' JJ teased

"You know, it's a skill like anything else. Carpenters are good at building stuff, measuring. F.B. good at keeping secrets and kicking criminal ass" Brad explained as Lilith tried not to burst out laughing.

"Wow…" JJ muttered

"Well, somebody has got to do it. Oh, do you have to carry your gun and badge with you everywhere you go?" Lilith asked

"Affirmative" Brad said seriously

"Can we see it?' Lilith asked

"See what?" Brad asked coyly

"Your badge" Lilith replied and Brad laughed.

"Please" Garcia begged

"I'm sorry, that's..." Brad started to say

"Classified" The girls finished for him.

"Figures" JJ said disappointed.

"Tell me, Brad, does it look anything like this?" Lilith asked holding up her badge.

"Or, uh, this?" JJ asked holding up her badge.

"Or maybe this?" Garcia said holding up her badge as well. The smile on Brad's face fell as he walked away defeated.

"Poor lass, it's a tough job" JJ joked as they all burst out laughing.

"Agent Jareau" JJ said answering her phone and walking outside.

"Lady, you are officially in my top 8, and I am so blogging about this later. Clink me." Garcia said as Lilith and her clinked glassed.

"Sorry, ladies" JJ said walking back over to them.

…

"A year ago victims and their vehicles disappeared from Washington state. They were found over 200 miles away in the remote woods of Idaho. Courtney Jacobs, 24, and Shane Everett, 25. Autopsy revealed similar entry and exit wounds through the chest" JJ explained as Lilith walked over and sat next to Reid.

"Ballistics?" Morgan asked

"No bullets were found" JJ explained

"Looks like they were out there for a long time before they were killed" Lilith commented

"At least 6 or 7 days" JJ explained

"Then, what happened in that week?" Morgan asked

"I don't want to know" Garcia said simply

"Look at the way they're dressed, they didn't voluntarily go into the woods like that" Reid explained

"Yeah, neither did this man. Found yesterday with similar wounds, there's still no I.D" JJ explained, changing the picture on the screen to the latest crime scene.

"Ok, so, I'm gonna look for missing persons in Washington" Garcia said

"Look everywhere, we don't know where this victim came from we only know where he ended up" Gideon said

"Kills both males and females" Reid stated

"Victims were found with their clothes on, no degradation No experimentation, doesn't look like he's interested in either" Hotch added

"A serial killer with no sexual preference?" Lilith asked confused

"That'd be a first" Reid commented

"Broken nose and bark is embedded in his face, looks like he ran into a tree" Hotch explained as he read the M.E file.

"Now, how do you miss a huge tree?" Morgan asked

"Too busy looking behind you" Hotch replied

"None of these are defensive wounds" Reid commented

"Courtney Jacobs' hands are torn up" Lilith stated

"Shane Everett has only got one shoe on, it's like he ran out of the other one" Morgan added

"He sustained numerous injuries and just kept going" Hotch explained

"Only one thing you run that hard for… your life" Gideon said simply

…..

"Did you and the girls have a good time at the bar?" Reid asked sitting next to Lilith on the jet before the others arrived.

"Yeah, before it was cut short of course" Lilith said, grinning as she remembered the fake FBI guy.

"I'm glad that you and the girls are finally getting to hang out more, you need some female friends in your life" Reid commented and Lilith grinned.

"I enjoy having female friends" Lilith agreed as the rest of the team got on to the jet.

"But the only thing I _need_ in my life is you…" Lilith whispered to herself but Hotch handed her a file.

"Transporting young, fit victims from Washington to Idaho poses huge risks" Hotch explained as the jet took off.

"Must have a good reason to chance getting pulled over, or have the victims escape" JJ explained

"It says here that every year 100 or so people go missing in Idaho's wilderness. With millions of acres to cover, 1/3 of them are never found" Reid explained

"Sounds like the reason as to why this place" Lilith stated

"Well, it offers privacy and the possibility the body will never be recovered" Gideon explained

"An area this remote and rugged suggests that the offender is more comfortable in the woods. Something like a second home" Morgan explained

"My, uh, parents owned a farm outside of Ohio. We lived there until they were killed. There was a good 10-year stretch where we didn't come down off the mountain. We had no running water, no electricity and our food supplies, everything, all of it came from the land" Lilith explained softly as the team looked at her. It was the first time she had voluntarily talked about her parents. Reid grabbed Lilith's hand underneath the table, silently telling her he was proud of her.

"How did they kidnap…" JJ went to asked but stopped after seeing Reid's glare.

"It's okay, Reid. I wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't expect questions. My father would take the boys from the park while my mother distracted the parents" Lilith explained softly

"Guess who's getting a gold star?" Garcia asked appearing onto the laptop.

"Oh, that'd be you, baby girl, if you got some good news for us" Morgan asked

"Well, I started my missing persons search in Spokane county and wouldn't you know, there's been 10 in the last 5 years, all in their early twenties. And isn't this interesting? It's always in the spring and their cars are never recovered. And fret not, I'm looking for the cars, too" Garcia explained

"Anything else?" Morgan asked

"Mmm, oh, local P.D. Identified the latest victim through dental records. His name's Alex Harrison, he's from Washington" Garcia explained

"Where was he last seen?" Hotch asked

"Family statements say he was traveling to work in Spokane and both victims last year were traveling outside of Spokane, too" Garcia explained

"All victims headed to the city" Morgan stated

"And none of them reached their destination" Lilith added

"Garcia?" Hotch asked

"Already on it. There are 4 major roadways into Spokane, highways 395, 195, and highway 2. There's also interstate 90" Garcia explained

"Were there any police reports or roadside assistance calls from those highways?" Lilith asked

"You're going to know that as soon as I do" Garcia said disappearing off the screen.

"Ok, we've got 2 locations" Hotch stated

"I'm happy to go to Idaho. Woods is like your second home, right, Fallon?" Gideon asked

"Yes, sir" Lilith replied

"Hey, Reid, why don't you go to Spokane? I could use the fresh air" Morgan asked as Reid nodded, just now realising that he was still holding hands with Lilith, who didn't seem to notice or care.

"We'll touch base every couple of hours" Hotch said

"I'll call you when we get on the mountain" Gideon said simply

…


	55. Chapter 55

"We've got 2 males and 1 female victim, all about the same age, but from different socio-economic backgrounds. The only thing they seem to have in common is they were traveling to the same city" Hotch said as Reid and JJ started putting up photos on the board at the local station.

"And broken bones. There's a hairline fracture in the wrist, a sprained ankle, and a broken nose. Also, early autopsy reports show soft, clean tissue damage and deep puncture wounds through the major organs" Reid explained

"Bullets flare out when they hit the body, it's gotta be something else" Hotch stated

"Whatever weapon was used cut completely through the front of the chest and went right out of the back. It's interesting, given the point of entry, that each victim has 2 wounds" Reid explained

"And it's always 2" Hotch added as a local walked into the room.

"Uh, Raymond Schaeffer. You must be Agent Jareau" Raymond said shaking hands with JJ.

"Nice to meet you. This is special Agent Aaron Hotchner. Dr. Spencer Reid. This is sheriff Raymond Schaeffer" JJ introduced

"Well, I see you're getting settled" Raymond said

"Thank you for the space" Hotch said

"Well, thank you for flying out" Raymond said

"Um, has Alex Harrison's family been notified yet?" JJ asked

"Not yet. Uh, parents were divorced, he lived with his father. I was waiting for your unit to arrive. I could use the company" Raymond admitted

"I'm happy to come along. Hotch, I'll let you know what I find" JJ said simply

"Thanks" Hotch said

"Is this your first notification, Sheriff?" JJ asked as they walked out of the room.

"Uh, is it that obvious?" Raymond asked

"Uh, I can give you a few tips" JJ said smiling

"I just got this promotion and the sheriff I replaced retired after 30 years. So, I got big shoes to fill. I'm just happy deaths in our county are down" Raymond explained

"Well, believe me, it never gets easy. This father's worst nightmare is about to come true" JJ said firmly

…..

Morgan and Lilith drove up to the mountain in silence. Lilith sighed.

"Okay, ask it" She said suddenly

"What do you mean?" Morgan asked

"I can literally feel you wanting to ask me something" Lilith joked and Morgan laughed.

"Okay, fine, since you're the psychic, what do you think I want to talk about?" Morgan asked

"Well, it's either about my past or about Reid, who is finally acting his normal self" Lilith explained and Morgan nodded.

"I want to know if something is going on between you and Reid? I saw him holding your hand on the jet" Morgan explained

"He was holding my hand because it was the first time I had voluntarily brought up my parents and he was silently telling me he was proud" Lilith explained as Morgan nodded.

"Right… that's why he kept holding your hand for the rest of the trip" Morgan joked as Lilith frowned, trying to remember if they actually did keep holding your hand. Before she could reply though they pulled up and a ranger walked over to them.

"How was the drive up the mountain?" The ranger asked

"Well, before or after the flat tire?" Morgan joked

"That good, huh? I'm the head Ranger, Lizzie Evans" Lizzie introduced

"Hi, Agent Fallon, this is Agent Morgan. Agent Gideon's still in town" Lilith introduced

"You must be exhausted from the trip, but we need to keep moving. We want to be out of here by nightfall" Lizzie explained

"Then, by all means, after you" Lilith said as they started walking into the forest.

"How long have you been a ranger?" Morgan asked

"5 years now, but I've lived in these woods my whole life" Lizzie explained

"Growing up out here help you do your job?" Morgan asked

"Look around. Do you see or hear anything right now?" Lizzie asked

"No" Morgan and Lilith said

"There's a black bear about 25 yards to your right" Lizzie explained as they turned their heads to see the black bear.

"How long before we're able to do that?" Lilith asked

"Depends on how well you use your instincts" Lizzie explained honestly.

"Well, this gives new meaning to the word remote" Morgan said

"Yeah, it'd be awfully hard to find this location if you weren't familiar with the area. There must only be a handful of people who know the terrain well enough to survive" Lilith explained as they got to the taped off crime scene.

"Boot tracks. They're the same tread, but they're different sizes" Lizzie explained

"Well, there's at least 2 people who know this terrain" Morgan stated

"Ok, so, this is where Alex Harrison's body was found. Morgan, from this particular spot there are areas of higher ground that look down to where the victim died" Lilith explained

"Yeah, I got a perfect view of you through the trees right here" Morgan added

"Those are basic tactics that hunters use. They use vantage points to watch their prey" Lizzie explained

"If these are tactics that hunters use..." Lilith started to say

"They were precise enough to cover each other and take out their prey at the same time. If both victims have 2 wounds, could be one for each offender" Morgan explained

"I think we know how Alex Harrison died" Lilith added softly

….

"Politely ask them to sit, and, uh, be prepared for a physical reaction. I once had a woman faint and hit her head and I had to give her the news a second time at the hospital. That wasn't fun. Denial is the first emotion so be prepared to explain to them how you know that this is their child. Be gentle, allow yourself to show emotion. It'll validate what the family is feeling" JJ explained as they pulled up outside the house.

"First rule on the police force, Agent Jareau, no crying" Raymond said simply before knocking on the door.

"Yes?" A man said as he opened the door

"Sir, are you Timothy Harrison?" JJ asked

"Is this about Alex?" The man asked

"Mr. Harrison, can we sit down?" Raymond asked as they walked into the house.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to stand" Mr. Harrison said

"Sir, I wish I didn't have to tell you this but we've found your son Alex in the Boise national forest" Raymond said softly

"So, he's ok?" Mr. Harrison asked hopefully

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Harrison, but Alex wasn't alive when we found him" JJ explained when Raymond choked.

"This is a mistake. Alex doesn't know anyone in Idaho. How do you even know it's him?" Mr. Harrison asked

"Well, sir, when you file a missing person's report you gave us access to his dental records" Raymond explained

"You're lying. God, tell me this isn't true. I'll do anything, please help me" Mr. Harrison cried, causing Raymond to tear up.

"We can't imagine what you're going through, Mr. Harrison" JJ said softly

"He's all I've got, my boy. Don't you understand?" Mr. Harrison begged.

"I do" JJ said

"Sir, we're investigating Alex's death as a possible homicide" Raymond explained

"Murder?" Mr. Harrison asked shocked

"We were hoping that maybe you could answer some questions" JJ stated

"Alex was the best wide out the huskies had seen in years. He was physical, strong. He had great instincts. After graduation, he wanted a career. Didn't want to be known as a jock. This can't be happening. I need to call Alex's mother" Mr. Harrison said

"Of course. We'll stay here until your family arrives" JJ explained

…..


	56. Chapter 56

Gideon got out of his car at the local hunting shop and walked over to see a deer in the back of a truck.

"You think this guy looks bad, you should see the driver. He needed 10 stitches" A teenager joked with Gideon.

"You better hurry, all the groups are filling up. You like the challenge of a bear, don't you?" The kid asked

"Actually, I prefer picking up my meat at a grocery store" Gideon explained

"Oh, you're one of those, huh? Better be careful out there because in 3 days it's going to get busy as hell up on our mountain" The kid explained

"Hunting season?" Gideon asked

"Yeah, ever since somebody wrote about us in some fancy travel magazine we've got loads of tourists migrating up here" The kid explained

"If I was going to take out an animal anywhere from 100 to 200 pounds what type of weapon would I use?" Gideon asked

"A shotgun and compound bow are the tops but buckshot can be a bit messy. I love arrows. It can completely penetrate the body of a small animal. It's the most effective kill" The kid explained

"Arrows" Gideon said before walking off and calling Hotch.

"Hotchner. Hold on a minute, I'll put you on speaker" Hotch said picking up the phone.

"Hunting season officially opens in 3 days. Does it look like the victim's wounds could be from an arrow?" Gideon asked

"Whatever punctured the organs had to be long enough to penetrate the chest and mimic a 22-calibre bullet, so, yeah, it's possible" Reid said

"I think these victims are being caught, taken to the woods and hunted like wild animals" Gideon explained

…

Gideon soon joined Lilith and Morgan at the crime scene and told them what they had discovered.

"Alright, let's give the profile" Morgan said as we gathered the rangers.

"We're looking for at least 2 offenders in good physical condition. You'd have to be fit to make it through this terrain" Gideon started

"And nobody would go that deep into the woods without backup" Morgan added

"Killing teams are like most partnerships, one weak, the other strong" Gideon said.

"These men haven't exhibited any sexual interest in their victims so they're either developmentally prepubescent or they could be related. Immediate relatives wouldn't discuss sexual encounters let alone perform them in front of each other. If they are related, they could have an us-versus-them mentality. Their bond will be unbreakable because it's all they know" Lilith explained

"Most hunters put animals out of their misery. The men we're looking for, they don't show any mercy" Gideon stated

"These guys take pleasure in watching their casualties die a slow death" Morgan added

"Every spring for the past 5 years, people have gone missing" Gideon said

"We think the killers wait for their prey to migrate through these woods" Morgan added

"Courtney Jacobs, Shane Everett, and Alex Harrison were all healthy, smart adults who survived for days by following their instincts" Lilith explained

"They found themselves in the middle of nowhere. They were either approached in a way that wasn't threatening... or the offenders waited for a moment of weakness. The perfect time to attack" Morgan added

"These particular hunters are very seasoned, they're very efficient. It's no surprise that they've chosen a weapon to be a compound bow. It requires the utmost precision and it provides them with a challenge every time" Gideon explained

"Like the trophy hunter, these men, they plan their killings with care. They decide the type of victims they want, how and where they want to kill them, and with what weapon" Morgan added

"Hunting is their sport. Humans are their targets" Lilith stated

"Use every hunter's instinct in your bodies. Good luck" Gideon finished

…

"Yeah, Garcia? If they were buying their weapons close to home, we need a list of hunting stores in Spokane county. Let me call you back" Hotch said seeing JJ walking over to him with a woman.

"You should hear this" JJ said

"The newspaper said the F.B.I. was here investigating those homicides. I didn't know where else to go when Bobbi didn't show up or call" The woman explained

"When was the last time you talked to her?" Hotch asked

"Yesterday. She was going to stay with me before this big job interview in Spokane. She was really excited about it. So, when she didn't show up, I knew in my gut that something was wrong. I was the one that convinced her to stay with me, and, now..." The woman cried

"This isn't your fault. Ok. Should we get some fresh air?" JJ asked and took her out of the room.

"She's only been missing since last night. You sure it's related?" Raymond asked

"I'm not going to wait to find out, I'm going to fax this to Gideon" Hotch said

"Bobby Baird's last 2 cell phone connections were both to 911. Looks like each call only lasted a couple of seconds before they dropped out. She was on highway 2" Garcia said to Hotch, Reid, JJ and Raymond once they walked into the office.

"It's a dead zone for cell phones" Raymond commented

"Any idea what the trouble was?" Hotch asked

"None, cruiser was dispatched to check it out but by the time he got there, there was no sign of her or her car. And speaking of vanishing vehicles, I'm still looking for Alex Harrison's" Garcia explained before handing up. The team continued to work through the files until Hotch's phone rang. It was Garcia.

''What have you got?" Hotch asked answering the phone.

"Uh, there are 3 stores outside Spokane that sell the exact type of arrows you were looking for. And before you ask, of course I've already sent the addresses to your handheld" Garcia explained

"Garcia? You're the man" Hotch joked

"Oh, no. You're the man" Garcia replied grinning

….

"It's been 3 days since they killed Alex Harrison. Why'd they take another victim so soon?" Lizzie asked as they read the file Hotch sent over.

"This is their hunting season" Gideon said

"Then they can't waste any time. Only 2 days before it gets crowded around here. They won't have any more privacy" Morgan explained

"If Bobbi Baird is their next victim, she could be on her way" Lilith said

"This is Evans; I need road blocks now" Lizzie said into the walkie talkie.

"We're standing in the middle of 3 million acres. She could be anywhere. We've only got 2 murder sites, miles apart. There's no pattern yet" Lizzie said looking out at the country.

"Both sites are low lying, they could be tracked from above" Morgan commented

"Maybe there are blinds built into the trees, or at least access to them" Lilith stated

"With good vantage points they could see their prey for miles" Gideon added. They continued to search for the next few hours but the sun started to go down.

"Still no sign of Bobby Baird. Search teams are in until morning" Lizzie explained walking over to the team.

"We're running out of time" Lilith said

"It's getting dark; I don't know what else we can do" Lizzie said worried

"Well, you never know how someone's going to react when they're forced into circumstances like these. If bobby's still alive, we just have to hope she's found a safe place for the night" Lilith explained

…..

Hotch and Reid went back to their hotel room for the night as JJ went to her own room.

"Reid, may I ask you a question?" Hotch asked as they laid in their bed neither of them sleeping.

"Sure" Reid replied confused that Hotch was asking.

"I have noticed that you and Lilith have been hanging out again… I know that it is helping you after your kidnapping but I need to know that you aren't going to hurt Lilith again. Haley was the one who saw stayed with Lilith the night you said those things to her and…" Hotch started to explain before trailing off, realizing he was rambling.

"Haley is worried that by me hanging with Lilith again I may say something mean like that and she will get hurt again" Reid concluded and Hotch nodded silently. Reid sat up and looked over at Hotch.

"Hotch, I'm not the same person I was when I said those things. I was struggling, a lot, but I am getting help now. Lilith and I have an understanding about what happened and if she is happy hanging out with me again that should be enough for Haley and you" Reid said calmly but with a hint of defensive tone.

"I didn't mean to offend you Reid, we just want what is best for both of you" Hotch apologised. Reid nodded, accepting his apology.

"So do I" Reid said laying back down.

….


	57. Chapter 57

"Do you keep records to document who buys hunting arrows?" Hotch asked a local hunting shop

"After a week we only keep receipts if they pay by credit card" The woman behind the counter replied

"You get a lot of repeat business up here, don't you?" Raymond asked

"Every year people get their ammo and supplies here before heading up to the mountains" The shop attendant said

"Uh, groups of men? Like, uh... Fathers and sons?" Reid asked

"Sure. Can I ask you gentlemen, why is this a police matter?" She asked

"We're looking for 2 men, possibly related. You might remember them because one always does all the talking, and the other one would become very uncomfortable if you spoke to him" Hotch explained

"It'd be even worse if that person were a female" Reid added

"Well, there are these 2 brothers that have been coming here for years. They got some supplies here a few days ago. The younger one's so painfully shy, it's almost sweet. And after all these years, he still hasn't warmed up to me. Their uncle was a quiet man, he passed away some time ago" The woman explained searching for a receipt.

"You find a receipt?" Reid asked

"No, they paid in cash. I'm pretty sure their name was Mulford. I think their uncle's name was Joe" The woman explained

"Thank you very much" Hotch said

"I'll call Garcia" Reid said pulling out his phone.

"Garcia, I need everything you have on a man named joseph Mulford" Reid said walking outside.

"Ok, it says here Joseph Mulford was convicted of multiple assault and batteries. He owned a service station, but it changed hands when he passed away. He gave it to his nephews, Paul and John Mulford" Garcia explained

"I don't have to ask where it's located, do I?" Reid asked

"No, you don't. But since you did, gorgeous grey matter, I'll have you know, I'm pulling it up right now. And the computer says... oh…" Garcia said trailing off.

"What is it?" Reid asked

"That service station... It's located on highway 2" Garcia explained

"Let me guess, close to where our victims have gone missing?" Reid asked

"Bulls-eye" Garcia said hanging up.

…

"It's still not open, how convenient" Reid said as they pulled up at the service station.

"Let's take a look around" Raymond said as they pulled out their guns and moved through the building.

"It's clear" Raymond said opening the garage door. Reid walked over and took the cover of a car.

"It's a mustang" Reid said

"Same make and model as Bobby Baird. These are definitely our guys" Hotch added

"So, what'd they do? Just patrol the highway, looking for broken down cars?" Raymond asked

"Picked up dispatches" Hotch explained finding a radio in their car.

"Hey, Hotch! You should see this" JJ called out as they opened some sheds.

"Hey, what color was Alex Harrison's car?" Reid asked

"It's blue, why?" Raymond asked

"I think we found it, along with some others" Reid explained

"If all these have cars..." JJ started to say

"We're looking at a lot more victims" Hotch finished as they looked at the rows of sheds. The team started looking through the house before Reid opened a cupboard to see a lot of licences.

"Guys, look at this" Reid said as the team walked over to him.

"First one expired in 1980" Reid read

"Boys weren't even born yet" Raymond commented

"The uncle must have started the killing; the boys have continued the tradition" Hotch explained before his phone rang. He put it on loud speaker.

"Paul and John Mulford, 26 and 22, were orphaned as toddlers" Garcia explained

"Abandonment issues" Hotch commented

"State kept them together by finding their only living relative, their uncle. He raised his nephews completely off the grid. They never went to school" Garcia explained

"No socialization other than the patrons of the station" Reid stated

"He was drafted in 1968. He was only 18 years old" JJ added

"He was relieved from duty 2 years later, reports of hallucinations and delusions" Garcia explained.

"The boys were raised with no social compass by the only relative they ever knew" Reid said

"Psychotic possessed with bizarre beliefs, who taught them how to hunt and who to kill. Look at this" Hotch said grabbing a photo.

"They've been hunting in those woods their whole lives" Hotch explained

…..

The next day Morgan, Gideon and Lilith returned to the forest with Lizzie.

"We've got a missing person's report. 2 couples camping over the weekend didn't show up for work and they didn't check out with the rangers. I'll organize a search and rescue" Lizzie explained

"Where was their campsite?" Morgan asked

"Several miles from where Alex Harrison's body was found" Lizzie answered

"Do we think there's a connection?" Lilith asked

"Well, if these hunters are looking for more challenges, absolutely. Let's go'' Gideon said. They walked through the forest until they found the campsite. There was a dead male and 3 empty sleeping bags.

"No animal did this" Lizzie commented

"That depends on your definition of animal" Lilith commented

"Looks like somebody shredded it with a knife. All the supplies have been dumped, not eaten" Morgan stated

"They wanted to make sure if anyone found their way back here everything would be worthless" Gideon explained

"Blood on the ground,2 spots, here and there" Morgan observed

"Hey, guys, we've got blood over here, too" Lilith said walking underneath a tree.

"Ok, if I'm standing right up there, this is wide open, and I've got a clear shot at these victims. It would explain all the blood on the ground" Morgan explained

"What about over here?" Gideon asked

"That's another clear shot" Lilith replied

"So, what do we think happened?" Lizzie asked

"2 pools of blood, I say 2 victims. Could be the campers" Morgan said

"Uh, question is, where are they?" Lilith asked before something was dropping onto her head.

'What is that?" Lilith asked confused before looking up to see two bodies hanging from the tree. She quickly moved away but not before a drop of blood hit her cheek.

"Oh god" Lilith said in shock before Morgan, Gideon and Lizzie looked up shocked. Lilith quickly wiped the blood of her cheek.

"They've already got one victim in these woods, why'd they attack this couple?" Lizzie asked

"Well, maybe they had to. Bobby Baird's their target if she ran towards voices, well, she had to come right through this camp" Gideon explained

"These people were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They weren't supposed to die" Lizzie said disgusted

"No, just got in the way" Gideon replied softly

"Hotch found Bobby Baird's car at Mulford's service station" Hotch said

"Hiding them in plain sight" Lilith commented

"It's run by 2 brothers" Morgan added

"You heard of the Mulford's?" Gideon asked

"We go by first name basis around here. But you tell me what they're driving, my people will find it" Lizzie said firmly

"I got at least 3 sets of footprints here. I lose them in the pine needles" Morgan said

"They pick back up over here. Ok, Evans, can we get your team to help us out?" Morgan asked

"Yeah. Bunting! Help these agents follow the tracks. Everybody in before sundown!" Lizzie ordered firmly

….


	58. Chapter 58

"I found the I.D.s of Joel and Taylor Brause. 2 of the missing campers" Lizzie said walking over to Gideon.

"Married?" Gideon asked

"Yeah" Lizzie said before the radio buzzed.

"This is Agent Morgan, go for Gideon" Morgan said into his radio.

"Gideon here, where are you?" Gideon asked

"We followed the tracks for several miles, and now we can see something in the distance. Can you get to higher ground?" Morgan asked and Gideon ran up to the top of a hill.

"You see it?" Morgan asked

"Smoke" Gideon replied. Lizzie and Gideon soon met up with Lilith and Morgan.

"I see the fire. It's right through those trees" Lizzie said

"There's a man lying next to it" Gideon stated

"Could just be a couple campers" Lizzie said as the team got out their guns.

"Let's be prepared if it isn't" Gideon said.

"F.B.I" Morgan said as the moved next to the male.

"He's covered in blood" Lilith said

"We gotta get him out of here" Gideon said kneeling down

"I'll call for an Evac" Lizzie said

"Son, can you hear me? My name's Jason Gideon, we're with the F.B.I. We're gonna get you out of here. Ok? Can you hear me? Are you here alone?" Gideon asked as the boy pointed.

"Over there" Gideon said and Morgan and Lilith walked over and found a dead woman.

"She's gone" Morgan said checking for a pulse and not finding any.

"It's a woman" Lilith said walking back over to Gideon.

"She was shot with an arrow" Morgan explained

"There's a compound bow about 25 feet away from the body" Lilith explained before Gideon looked over at the bleeding male.

"What?" Morgan asked

"The other victims were shot in the chest area. This boy has wounds in his lower abdomen" Gideon explained

"You don't think he was shot with an arrow?" Morgan asked

"It looks like he was stabbed" Gideon said before walking over and kneeling next to him.

"Son... Are the men who did this to you still in the woods? We have a team of F.B.I. Agents looking for them. It's all right. They've got an order to shoot if necessary" Gideon said firmly and the boy started struggling.

"No! No, no, no" He struggled to say

"It's ok, It's ok! You are safe- you are safe here" Gideon said

"Don't shoot him! He's all I have" He said cried

"Is your brother out there?" Gideon asked softly and he nodded

"What's your name?" Gideon asked

"Johnny" Johnny said

"Johnny, you need to tell us where Paul is. Before it's too late. Just tell me where he is. Tell me where he is" Gideon said before Morgan and Lilith left in the direction.

"He said about half a mile due east" Morgan said to Lilith

"Let's go" Lilith said as they walked through the forest until they heard struggling. Lilith saw Bobby hide behind a tree. She motioned for her to be quiet and Bobby nodded, sighing in relief.

"Paul Mulford! F.B.I" Morgan called out

"Put down your weapon!" Morgan shouted but Paul went to shoot so Morgan shot him twice. Morgan and Lilith ran over to him and Morgan searched him for weapons.

"He's clean" Morgan said

"Johnny..." Paul choked out

"You got him?" Morgan asked as Lilith kept her gun trained on Paul.

"Yeah" Lilith said

"I'm going to call Gideon" Morgan said

'Is he dead?' Bobby asked walking over to Lilith

"Soon" Lilith replied

"How can these guys do something like this?" Bobby asked

"Because they don't think like you and me" Lilith replied

"How does it feel, you son of a bitch? Looks like I had all the fun" Bobby said to Paul before he closed his eyes and took his last breath.

….

Lilith sat on the jet back to Quantico in silence. Most of the team were sleeping, Reid had actually fallen asleep with his head on Lilith's shoulder.

"You ok?" Morgan asked walking over and sitting across from Lilith.

"I've never seen you look so, um…" Morgan started to say

"Quiet" Lilith finished for him.

"What's up?" Morgan asked

"Bobby Baird asked me a question that's sticking with me" Lilith explained

"What was it?" Morgan asked

"She asked me how they could do it. How those men could… hunt and kill people in the woods" Lilith explained

"What did you tell her?" Morgan asked

"That they don't think like we do. But...the truth is... that we do think like them" Lilith said softly

"Yeah, we do. Because it's our job. We need to know how it feels" Morgan explained

"We hunt these people every day. The question is, how different are we? Us and them? How different am I from my parents?" Lilith whispered and at that moment Reid woke up and looked Lilith.

"Because of that right there Lilith. You care. Your parents took pleasure out of what they did so do all the serial killers we hunt. But we don't. You don't" Reid explained simply and Morgan nodded, agreeing. Lilith sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest.

"I guess" She muttered before feeling Reid pull her to his side. Morgan left them alone with a small smile on his lips.

…


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter 15 – Legacy**

"CHECK MATE" Lilith shouted happily as Reid laughed at his best friend's behaviour.

"Yeah, yeah, you got lucky" Reid joked as he stood up and walked over to the fridge in the break room at the office.

"No, I just have an awesome best friend who lets me win" Lilith said grinning as Reid paused in his movements.

"You caught that huh?" Reid asked slyly.

"Der" Lilith said laughing

"Guys, conference room please" Hotch called out to them. Reid handed Lilith a coffee and motioned for her to go first. He followed Lilith up the stairs and into the conference room.

"You aren't sure whether anyone is in fact missing" Hotch said to an unknown detective as he read a little notebook.

"No, I-I am sure. I just can't seem to convince anyone else of it" The man named McGee.

"But no official investigation?" Hotch asked

"No" McGee said

"63 people can't be coincidence, right?" JJ asked

"Reid, any stats on the percentages of, um well, I don't really know how to phrase the question" Morgan asked

"Homeless who go missing? The very nature of homelessness suggests a lifestyle of fluidity, yet honestly, they're not as transient as you would think. They generally stay in small, well-defined area based on familiarity and what services are nearby" Reid explained

"So- so you're saying they don't just disappear" McGee said

"Not normally, but I mean, that doesn't preclude the possibility" Reid said

"Names, addresses, descriptions. Do you have any information that might help us find them again?" Garcia asked

"I- I didn't have a need for it at the time" McGee explained

"Garcia, do you have enough here to see if they've been reported missing by someone?" Lilith asked

"I don't- I don't know" Garcia said

"I-I ran them all through our computers and came up blank" McGee explained

"None of them turned up deceased? Checked the morgues and the hospitals?" Gideon asked

"I-I have checked everywhere, sir" McGee explained

"Simply being gone isn't a federal issue" Hotch said

"We're gonna need an official invitation into your jurisdiction" Gideon added

"An official?" McGee asked

"Police chief, chief of detectives. It has to come down through the chain of command. We have no authority to look into this" Hotch explained

"Um, I don't know that I- I can do that" McGee explained

"Unless we're officially asked, we can't help you" Hotch explained

"Jurisdictional issues aren't open for debate. Sorry. It's out of our hands" Gideon added

"Uh, Hotch... There could be 63 victims here" JJ muttered

"Well, I suppose you and I could go back with the detective and talk to his commanders and try to impress upon them the serious implications" Hotch said

"Thank you" McGee said

"If we get an invitation, we could send for the rest of you. I just don't want to give the appearance that we're running over them" Hotch said

"I'll wrap my class up. If anything changes, let me know. I should be available by 4:00" Gideon said leaving the room.

"J.J. Be ready in 30" Hotch said leaving the room.

"Agent. Um, sir. He-he took 2 of my book" McGee said softly

"Uh, if you could leave your notebooks with us, we can unofficially go over them and maybe develop some more information" Lilith said calmly

"How about I show you, uh, which people aren't around anymore and you can copy down all the information" McGee asked

"Ok. Well, you heard Agent Hotchner. You got 30 minutes to brief us on 63 people" Morgan said.

"Ok" McGee said opening his book.

….

"Damn" Lilith muttered as Morgan put up the notes from the missing people.

"That is a lot of people" Morgan added

"Homeless men, homeless women, runaways, prostitutes, and drug users" Reid explained

"Can all of their disappearances be a coincidence?" Lilith asked

"Yeah, technically it wouldn't really be a coincidence since a number of these people share high-risk traits, which throws the curve off. You see, the word "coincidence" implies more…" Reid started to rant.

"Hey, kid, we do not need a vocabulary lesson right now" Morgan said

"Right. Sorry" Reid said as Lilith smiled.

"What was it the Yorkshire ripper said about his victims?" Morgan asked

"The women I killed were filth, bastard prostitutes that were littering the streets. I was just cleaning up the place a bit" Reid quoted

"He's a housecleaner" Morgan stated as Lilith looked confused.

"Mission-based killer who believes his murders are helping society" Reid explained

"These guys devolve rapidly until they're just killing machines" Morgan added

"And our hands are tied by jurisdictional concerns?" Lilith asked

"Well, what are we supposed to do? If we don't follow the city's jurisdiction, no one's gonna ever ask us for help. We do it by the book. Then we pray... That no one else gets hurt in the meantime" Morgan muttered before walking out of the room to check on Garcia and her work.

"63 people…" Lilith muttered

"I know, it's a lot" Reid agreed

"Any news?" Gideon asked walking into conference room with Morgan.

"Haven't heard from Hotch or J.J. Garcia went through all the names but couldn't find a single report to hang an investigation on" Morgan explained

"We've been compiling preliminary profile thoughts based on the limited victimology that we have" Reid explained

"Profile? We don't even have this case yet" Gideon said

"We just want to be prepared in case we are called in" Lilith explained

"We don't have enough other work to do?" Gideon asked

"Gideon, he's a housecleaner" Morgan said softly

"With 63 potential victims" Reid added

"What have you come up with so far?" Gideon asked seriously.

…..


	60. Chapter 60

"This is my desk over here" McGee said to JJ and Hotch has they arrived at the Kansas police department.

"Is this your commander's office?" Hotch asked

"Yeah. Uh, I'm-I'm gonna go talk to him first" McGee said walking off

"Sure" Hotch said as JJ looked at his desk.

"This is the neatest detective's desk I have ever seen" JJ said

"You did-you did what? Call you back" A black man shouted from the office.

"I'm guessing it didn't go too well" JJ said

"I'm Captain Wright" Wright introduced himself

"Agent Hotchner. This is Agent Jareau. We're with the FBI's behavioural analysis unit" Hotch introduced

"Listen, guys, I don't know what detective McGee here told you…" Wright started to say

"Yes, you do. I told them that there's a large number of people missing from my area of responsibility" McGee argued

"No. You think there are a large number of people missing. We discussed this last week" Wright explained

"He informed you of this before?" Hotch asked as JJ looked annoyed.

"Agents, we have run every one of the names from his little books and we couldn't find a single missing report" Wright explained

"Tell him what the other agent said about… about homeless people not going missing like this" McGee said

"That's not exactly what he said" Hotch said

"Listen, guys, I-I'm really sorry you came all this way, but we don't need any FBI help" Wright said firmly

"May I have a word with you in your office?" Hotch asked softly

"Uh, yeah, sure. Sure. Right this way" Wright said reluctantly

"You should have told us he already knew" JJ said to McGee annoyed

"Would you have come?" McGee asked

"I can't believe he did this" Wright said to Hotch as they walked into the office.

"Well, Detective McGee is pretty sure that these people are missing, sir" Hotch explained

"Now, Detective McGee is..." Wright started to say

"A little obsessive-compulsive?" Hotch asked

"Oh, you noticed that, huh?" Wright joked

"Doesn't mean he can't be a good cop" Hotch explained

"I thought assigning him to keep an eye on skid row would be harmless. Well, most of those people only cause trouble for each other" Wright said

"Look, I'm sorry he got you to travel all the way here" Wright added

"Sir, we're happy to help with the problem" Hotch stated

"What problem?" Wright asked

"Sir,63 people missing from a localized area is unusual" Hotch explained

"Are you kidding' me? Bums, whores, junkies. Can these people even be missing?" Wright snapped

"You seem hostile to the idea that these people could be in trouble" Hotch said calmly

"No, what I'm hostile to is a member of my command recruiting the FBI to handle a case that I don't even believe is happening" Wright snapped

"You know, the note he received could be an unsub reaching out. It's not uncommon" Hotch explained

"Or it could be another cop who's pissed off that McGee got an award" Wright argued

"Sir, this type of unsub is relatively easy to catch. Nobody else has to get hurt" Hotch explained

"As far as I know, no one has been hurt" Wright argued

"I have some experience in this field, and I believe that your problem's only going to get worse" Hotch said firmly

"Oh, well, thank you. We'll keep an eye on that. You have a safe trip home" Wright said firmly

"What if they were cheerleaders?" Hotch asked

"Excuse me?" Wright said rudely

"Or teachers? Or mothers? How did you put it? Can bums even be missing? Well, sir, they can. They can be hurt, they can be scared, and they can be killed" Hotch said firmly.

"Is this the envelope the letter came in?" JJ asked from beside McGee as they watched the office patiently.

"Yeah. They dusted for prints. It's clean. You've only been a cop for 4 years and you're already a detective" JJ said impressed

"Yeah, they, uh...Promoted me to keep me away from the general public. That's why I'm baby-sitting skid row" McGee explained as he looked back over to the office.

"You must really care about these people" JJ said

"It's my job to care about them" McGee said

"Most cops would say it's their job to keep 'em in line" JJ explained

"Yeah, well, my father taught me to be a different kind of cop" McGee explained

"Was he a detective, too?" JJ asked

"Yeah, he was a- he was killed in the line of duty in '85" McGee explained

"I'm sorry" JJ said honestly

"Captain Wright was his partner. It's the only reason the department keeps me on" McGee muttered

"I'm sure that's not the only... This postmark" JJ said suddenly

"Excuse me?" McGee asked confused

"Kansas City" JJ said

"Right" McGee said still confused

"Missouri. We're in Kansas City, Kansas" JJ explained

"Yeah, well, they're just across the river from one another" McGee explained

"No, what they are is right across the state line" JJ explained walking into the office, not bothering to knock.

"Hotch, it's federal" JJ said firmly

"What?" Hotch asked confused

"If we want this case, It's ours. It's federal. This letter came from across the river, from Kansas City, Missouri" JJ explained

"Interstate communication" Hotch said

"Puts it in federal jurisdiction" JJ added

"Sir, this is now a federal case. I would like to retain detective McGee as a consultant" Hotch explained

"You're not opening any investigations in my jurisdiction" Wright said annoyed

"I don't want a fight with you. Even though this is a federal case, if we develop any information, I will come to you and your men will make the arrest" Hotch explained

"And why would you do that?" Wright asked confused

"Because that's how we operate" Hotch explained simply

…..

"B.A.U" Wright said as the rest of the team walked into the station.

"I'm Jason Gideon. Agents Morgan, Fallon, and Dr. Reid" Gideon introduced

"Captain Wright" Wright introduced

"If you, uh, want to get your squad together, captain, we could start giving the profile" Hotch explained

"Already?" Wright said surprised

"We've been working on it all day" Reid said as Lilith grinned.

"Oh, have you, now?" Wright asked

"Just out of an abundance of preparedness, yeah" Reid explained

"Give me a few minutes, guys" Wright said walking off

"I'm not sure if he's really ok with this, or he's sure we're wrong and wants to see us embarrass ourselves" Hotch explained as the team walked over to the local cops.

"We're going to provide a psychological profile of the man we're looking for. It contains some unusual, specific personality traits that someone out there is bound to recognize" Hotch started

"Which will make him relatively easy to locate. Long-lasting, negative impression he leaves on anyone he might meet" Gideon explained

"We have a term for the killing behaviour this unsub displays… Cleaning house… fixing what's wrong with the world" Morgan stated

"He's deeply rationalized this behaviour, and while he certainly knows the killing is wrong, he truly believes that he's doing the world a great service" Reid added

"Ultimately, this type of unsub becomes a loner. There will not be too many people that can still tolerate him. Now, if he does have a relationship at all, the person will not be his equal. It'll be someone subservient to him" Morgan continued

"He'll be fastidious, tending toward obsessive- compulsive disorder, and he'll have an overwhelming sense of indignation towards the things that he's judged to be wrong. He wouldn't even consider the reasons why someone might disagree with him" Reid finished

"He sounds like a real jag off" A local cop commented

"Exactly. Class-a scumbag" Morgan agreed

"Detective McGee started noticing the disappearances a year ago. The unsub probably had a stressor at this time… the death of a family member or someone who had some semblance of control over him. Right now, no one has control over him" Lilith explained

"It's probable that he isn't currently working after this many victims and the devolution that it brings a job just wouldn't leave him time to practice his true calling" Reid added

"Which is..." Wright asked

"A predator, a killing machine. By now, it's become all he thinks about" Hotch explained

…..


	61. Chapter 61

The team and the local cops started canvasing around McGee district and talking to anyone who would listen.

"Is there anything I can do for you? Get you to a shelter, maybe?" Morgan asked a homeless woman after a few hours of talking to anyone who would listen.

"Have you ever seen one of them shelters? I'll take my chances in the park. At least I got the birds I can feed there" The homeless woman said

"Ok. Ok, I understand. Be careful, you hear me? This world needs all of its beautiful ladies, and that means you, too, Mona" Morgan said grinning causing 'Mona' to smile and walk off happy.

"You're a good guy" Lilith said

"You think?" Morgan asked

"Yeah. You make the people around you feel good" Lilith explained

"Well, he's no Charlie Chaplin" Hotch joked as Reid and Hotch walked over to Morgan and Lilith. Reid stood next to Lilith.

"Again with the Chaplin's" Morgan muttered

"How'd you guys do?" Lilith asked

"Well, Reid got propositioned by every prostitute we talked to but we didn't find anybody who thinks they'd seen the unsub" Hotch explained causing Reid to blush and Lilith to laugh.

"Same story with us" Morgan said

"We saw Gideon and McGee a block back. They hadn't had any luck, either" Hotch explained

"It's odd. If the unsub were out here, he'd stand out. You know, people would recognize the description" Reid explained

"So where does that leave us?" Lilith asked

"Right where I thought we were" Wright said walking over to them with JJ.

"Captain?" Hotch asked

"You said this guy would definitely be memorable. You were adamant. So if no one out here remembers him, according to you, he doesn't exist" Wright explained

"That's not exactly what we said, but…" JJ said

"It's what you implied" Wright said

"What do you think happened to them, captain?" Hotch asked

"I told you, I don't think anything happened to them" Wright stated

"Oh, that's right. You think they all got houses and jobs" Hotch argued

"Ok, all this means is we have another piece of the puzzle here. Someone got over 60 street-smart people out of here and no one noticed" Lilith said interrupting the fight.

"It's almost like he blended in" Reid commented

"It's more than that. It's like he must somehow belong" Lilith added

"Like he's here all the time" Hotch said

"Like social services" Morgan said looking in the distance.

"What?" Lilith asked softly

"Captain Wright" Morgan said

"Yeah?" Wright asked

"Does your social services department patrol around?" Morgan asked

"Excuse me?" Wright asked confused

"Do they drive around in the middle of the night looking for people to help?" Morgan asked

"No. They have to be called, and then…" Wright started to say before Morgan took off running.

"Morgan!" Hotch called out as the team followed him.

"Mona! Mona, wait a minute! Do not get in that van! What are you doing? I thought you didn't need any help" Morgan asked Mona as the 'Social Services' man got in his van.

"He's gonna drive me to the park" Mona explained

"Hey, how's it going, my man?" Morgan asked through the window.

"I should go" The man said

"Slow down. What's your hurry?" Morgan asked as the rest of the team arrived.

"I got a lot of work. I should go" He said nervously.

"Sir, do you have a city employee I.D" Wright asked

"Look, I really don't have time for this" He said

"Yes, you do. I.D., Please" Wright said firmly before the man tried to drive off but Morgan jumped half through the window and forced him to crash into a car.

"Out of the truck! Out of the truck! Get out here!" Morgan yelled and slammed him up against the van.

"All right, all right! Don't hurt me! Just...Don't hurt me" He cried out

…..

"He's terrified" Gideon said as Hotch, Wright and Gideon watched the man named Steven from the other side of the glass.

"Of us?" Wright asked

"Of the unsub" Hotch said

"Garcia couldn't find much on this guy at all. No employment records, no tax records, no credit cards, no bank accounts. The van is registered to a paper corporation out of the Cayman Islands. Other than having a valid driver's license, Steven Foster has no paper trail" Morgan explained walking into the room.

"My guess is he's devoted his entire life to helping the unsub. Unsub takes care of everything for him. In return, Steven provides fresh victims" Gideon explained

"So how do you know there's another guy?" Wright asked

"Does he look like he could cleanly pull off 63 murders?" Hotch asked

"So if he's his accomplice, why is he so afraid of the guy?" Wright asked

"Steven's the only person in the world truly aware of what the unsub is capable of" Morgan explained

"The only one still alive" Hotch added

"Sadism and torture invariably get worse with every victim" Gideon explained

"That's why this was so important. We couldn't take the chance that it wasn't happening" Hotch explained as JJ and McGee walked into the room.

"That's him?" McGee asked

"He's not the unsub" Hotch explained

"Well, then- then who is he?" McGee asked

"Only relationship the unsub has left in the world" Gideon explained

"His only friend" Morgan added

'Did you want me to publicize the arrest, put some pressure on the unsub?" JJ asked

'No. He might run' Hotch said

"Ok, so, uh, how we gonna find him, then?' McGee asked

"Steven's gonna tell us where he is" Hotch explained before Hotch and McGee walked into the interrogation room.

"Well, finally! You took your damn time, didn't you? What the hell am I doing here, anyways? I didn't do nothing. I mean, what's the charges? Do you even have any? What did I do, offer to help an old lady get a-get to a park? Is that even illegal? I don't think so. Should be getting some kind of award instead of sitting in here waiting for you to decide to talk to me. I know you're gonna... Charge me with that wreck, right, crashing into that car? That was the other cop's fault, the black guy? He jumped into my van. He caused me to- it was his fault. It- it wasn't me. It was- there were witnesses, you know" Steven ranted while Hotch and McGee stood their silently.

"Sit down" Hotch said firmly as Steven did so.

"I've been standing on the other side of that glass thinking about what to do with you, Steven. And this morning I decided to save your life. You're gonna tell me where my killer is. You're gonna give me an address, and you're gonna tell me how to get inside without raising an alarm. You're gonna draw me a map if I need one. And you're gonna do this because he's never been nice to you. He constantly insults you and belittles you. He emasculates you and makes you feel ugly and stupid and worthless. Nothing you ever do is right. Never good enough. You hate him, Steven. And you're also going to tell me because you know you screwed up last night. He told you that your paramount concern was not to attract the attention of the authorities and you know the punishment will be severe. Nobody knows better than you what he can do to people. I've spent a long time studying monsters like your friend, and I can promise you... He's gonna do things to you that even you can't imagine" Hotch explained calmly

"I can't. My family's always worked for his family. It's all I know. His father died last year and left everything to him, all the money, all the... He-he's the last one. He-he changed after. He's different. He's...Meaner. He's gonna hurt me so bad" Steven whispered

"Not if we lock him up. Not if you tell us how we can put him away" Hotch said simply

"Holcombe. His—his name is Charles Holcombe. He owns the old meatpacking plant" Steven explained

…..

The team quickly got in their vans and sped toward the meatpacking plant.

"Charles Holcombe! FBI!" Morgan called out as we broke through the door to find the unsub wearing an all-white suit and a woman strapped to a table. He quickly grabbed a knife.

"Don't do it" Morgan said firmly

"Let me do my job!" Charles cried out before getting shot by Morgan, Hotch and Lilith. Morgan ran over to the unsub while Lilith and Hotch started unstrapping the victim.

"It's ok, It's ok. Look at me" Lilith said softly

"You're all right. It's over" Hotch said

"The face" The woman cried

"You've got some cuts, but you're gonna be ok" Hotch explained

"No. I want to see his face" The woman said firmly

"Morgan" Hotch said and Morgan took of his mask to reveal his face.

"I won" The woman said laughing

"There's an ambulance outside" Hotch said

"Can you have someone check on my baby? My mom's baby-sitting her, and- and I didn't get home last night" The woman asked

"We'll take care of it" Hotch said

"Thank you" She said sighing in relief. The team all left the warehouse, patting McGee on the shoulder as they left.

…

"Fallon, you coming to watch some Chaplin with us?" Gideon called out from the conference room as she gathered her things at her desk.

"Yeah, I'll be up in a second" Lilith called out. She put her jacket and bag on her chair before walking up the steps. She looked into the conference room to see the members of her team, her family. Reid, her best friend, looked up at her and waved. She waved back and walked in and sat next to JJ and across from Reid. Hotch walked in with some bowls of popcorn just as Gideon started the film. The next hour was filled with laughter and a popcorn fight that started with Lilith throwing one of Reid's head.

…


	62. Chapter 62

**Chapter 16 – No Way Out (Part 2)**

Lilith woke up to her phone ringing and someone knocking on her door. She went to grab her phone but as she picked it up the person hung up. The knocking continued on her door and she heard Reid calling out her name.

"Just open the door Reid!" Lilith shouted and she heard him out his spare key and come into her house.

"What the hell is going on?" Lilith asked confused

"There has been a murder in Gideon's apartment. The local police think he is the killer. We need to go, now" Reid said chucking Lilith some clothes and she quickly got changed before jumping into Reid's car and driving to Gideon's house. They met up with Morgan, JJ and Hotch at the apartment.

"Hotch. Where's Gideon?" Morgan asked

"I called his cell. It's right there. It seems he left in a hurry" Hotch explained softly

"P.D. Thinks he did this?" Morgan asked

"They have 6 witnesses who saw him running down the street, covered in blood, wielding a gun" Hotch explained

"Ok, he was probably chasing the son of a bitch who did do this" Morgan explained

"Either way, we're under strict orders not to get in the way of the investigation. Gideon's a suspect, we're his colleagues" Hotch stated

"Conflict of interest. There's no way they'll ask for our help" JJ explained

"Which he needs badly right now" Hotch said

"Well, who spoke to him last?" Morgan asked

"I did, about 2 hours ago" Hotch explained

"What did he say?" Reid asked as he looked in to the bed room to find the butchered female.

"He said he was late for a date" Hotch stated

"Do we even know who she is?" Morgan asked as Reid walked over to Lilith, who placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"An old school friend. We're conflicted out of the investigation. We're just here to answer questions the M.P.D might have, so we need to assess what we can while we can" Hotch whispered

"Evisceration of the torso, removal of various organs. The guy's clearly a sexually sadistic psychopath" Reid said walking back over to the group.

"He's well-versed with a scalpel. He's done this before. We need to at least get photos" Lilith added

"J.J., Your cell phone- get as many as you can as quickly as you can. Get them to Garcia" Hotch whispered

"No sign of forced entry. Why?" Hotch asked Morgan

"Everything is as it was. Nothing has been disturbed. Wine poured but not drank. The victim simply let the assailant in. And why wouldn't she? She was waiting for Gideon. It's his home. Forensics won't find any defensive wounds. Why? Because she didn't defend herself. She couldn't. He came here looking for Gideon and he found her. Now, he knew he didn't have a lot of time, but... here she is, and here he stands- a sexual sadist. A psychopath with the need to kill just as natural as his need to breathe" Morgan explained

"He moved swiftly, every stroke of his blade exact, from lower torso to throat. She was awake the entire time, until mercifully she passed away. The toxicology report will find high levels of ketamine in her blood. He opened her up, removed her lower-right rib bone, which is missing" Lilith added

"Fallon, left hand" Morgan said and she opened the woman's hand to find a rib bone. She had flash backs to Jane's house.

"That looks like part of the rib bone" Lilith confirmed

"Frank's back" Morgan muttered

"If this is who we think it is, he took the rib bones as gifts to give to Jane" Reid said

"And yet this one he gave back to Sarah. Why?" Lilith asked

"It's not for Sarah, it's for us. It's a message" Hotch said

"We need to tell the police what we found" Lilith said to Hotch

"Wait" Hotch whispered

"For what?" Lilith asked

"If we know anything about Frank, he wouldn't have left a trace of his DNA in here" Morgan explained

"There are a number of ways this scene could be interpreted, and all of them could indicate Gideon" Hotch added

"As long as Frank's out there, we can't afford to stop and explain any of it" Morgan finished

"Last time he did all of this for Jane" Reid said

"Well, things seem to have changed dramatically" Hotch stated

"Maybe she's dead. They had a lovers' quarrel and he killed her?" Lilith asked

"If he came here looking for Gideon, maybe he found him" Reid suggested

"Let's go find out where Gideon went" Morgan said to Lilith and they left the room as Hotch's phone rang.

"Hello? Hello? Who is this?" Hotch asked

"I nearly had him" Gideon said

"Where are you?" Hotch asked

"I saw him walking off down the street. He was just- just walking. He dropped something in the trash out in the street. I couldn't get a clean shot. The streets were too crowded" Gideon explained

"Was Jane with him?" Hotch asked

"No. But I saw her when I was talking to you. I saw her in the street seconds before he called me" Gideon explained

"He called you?" Hotch asked

"He came after me. He came to my home" Gideon said

"Then he's out of his comfort zone, in a big city with feds who know what he looks like" Hotch said

"It's my fault. It's me he wanted. And if I hadn't been late...she'd still be alive. He butchered her, Hotch" Gideon said

"Jason..." Hotch said

"I'm coming in" Gideon stated

"No. Do that and this investigation moves inside an interrogation room. And by the time the cops catch up, we're going to be looking at more dead bodies. He's going to change who he goes after. He has to. We know who Frank is. We don't know the why. You help us find out the why and we'll catch him" Hotch whispered

"For that I'm going to need my files" Gideon said

"I'll have Garcia bring them to you. You find some place quiet where you can work. And, Jason... we'll get him" Hotch promised before hanging up.

…..


	63. Chapter 63

"Frank had to have come out the same way down this street. If they saw Gideon, they saw Frank" Morgan said as he met back up with Lilith and Reid outside.

"Well, we know Frank will do whatever it takes to blend in and not stand out" Lilith stated

"Well, to avoid attracting attention, he would have simply walked calmly out of that crime scene" Morgan stated

"The evisceration of Sarah, though, means he would have been soaked in her blood" Reid stated

"No, he had access to Gideon's closet. He cleans up, gets a change of clothes, he's out" Lilith explained

"Yet he left no trace of evidence at the crime scene" Morgan added

"Gideon said he dumped it en route" Hotch said walking over to us with a bag.

"You spoke with Gideon?" Lilith asked

"Where is he, Hotch?" Morgan asked

"He's safe" Hotch said simply

"Well, that's all the proof we need, right? We can turn him over to the M.P.D now" Lilith asked

"By the time this comes back from the lab, Frank's long gone" Hotch said

"If the cops find out we're hiding evidence and a material witness from them…" Morgan argued

"We're not hiding evidence. We'll give this to forensics, let them search for DNA. We'll look for Frank" Hotch said as a young boy skated over to them.

"Agent Morgan?" The kid asked

"What the hell?" Lilith asked confused

"They say beauty can cover a multitude of sins" The kid started to say

"What?" Morgan asked

"But underneath it all... we all look the same" The kid finished

"That's Frank. He said that to me in the diner" Morgan explained

"Give me Jane or I'll kill them all" The kid finished

"Frank thinks we have Jane?" Morgan asked

"We need to find her fast" Hotch added

"Can I have my 10 bucks now?" The kid asked as we looked around the street nervously. Lilith gave the kid 10 bucks before sending him on his way.

"Gideon saw Jane just before Frank called him. If we find Jane, we'll find Frank" Hotch said

"Last time we found Frank, he outsmarted us" Lilith said

"He took a busload of children hostage. He gave us no options" Morgan added

"He's not going to give us any now" Hotch said

"Frank's message- he said, I'll kill them all. Who's he referring to?" Reid asked as Lilith's phone rang.

"J.J?" Lilith asked putting her on speaker.

"Hey, uh, Gideon had a book, a black leather-bound book. Garcia discovered something. It looks like the first page has been ripped out. You can only really see what's left on the side of the page, but it's definitely Gideon's handwriting. Looks like some kind of a list" JJ explained

"It's his murder book" Hotch said

"Murder book?" Lilith asked

"When he opens it to the first page, it reminds him why he does what he does" Hotch explained

"It's a list of all the people he's ever saved. Names, dates, personal details" Reid added

"And now Frank has the list" Hotch muttered

"Frank said, 'I'll kill them all.' That's who he's going after" Reid stated

"Yeah, at least the ones he can get to, the ones that are nearby" Morgan added

"J.J., start locating all the possible targets. We need to call them and warn them" Hotch said

"Got it" JJ said

"Do we tell Gideon?" Morgan asked

"Absolutely not. We need to find out who Frank is first" Hotch said firmly

….

Garcia and Gideon arrived at The Smithsonian Institute and the manager led them to a room full of birds.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Jason. Truly" The manager said softly

"Thank you very much for doing this. You're a good friend" Garcia said when Gideon didn't reply.

"Security knows you're here. Take care of him" The manager said to Garcia before closing the door.

"I grabbed everything I could find pertaining to the case" Garcia said

"Turdus polyglottus. Mockingbird. They've provided insights into the origin of syntax. Essential first steps into the evolution of human language. If we stand any chance of stopping him, we need to understand the evolution of Frank. What created him" Gideon said, speaking for the first time since arriving at the Institute.

…..

"Took these from Gideon's office" JJ said as the team walked into the conference room. She had gotten some photos from Gideon's office and information on the team's old cases.

"What about Jane?" Hotch asked

"I gave photos of Jane and Frank to all media outlets, and I'm liaising with Washington M.P.D" JJ explained

"J.J., if you locate her, make sure we're the first to interrogate her. Don't let P.D. get to her" Hotch said

"Is that wise?" Morgan asked

"No, but it is an order. Whatever you do, bring her here first. She's the only one who knows who Frank is" Hotch said firmly

"So far we've narrowed it down to 9 possible targets" Reid said as Lilith and he came into the room.

"Their contact details are in the files. Everybody grab a phone. Let's start calling" Lilith said as Reid handed out some files.

"Hello?" A woman said as JJ dialled a number.,

"Rebecca Brian? Hi, this is Jennifer Jareau with the FBI" JJ said

"He's not agent Gideon, is he?" Rebecca asked

"Excuse me?" JJ asked

"Rebecca, this is Agent Hotchner. If you can, very calmly excuse yourself and get out of the house. Can you do that?" Hotch asked

"Rebecca, just calmly hang up, walk to your door, and leave. Ok? Rebecca?" JJ asked

"What's going on?" She asked scared before she went silent.

"Rebecca... Rebecca? Rebecca?" Hotch asked

"Hi, I regret to inform you that Rebecca's name should be moved to a new list" Frank said

"Frank, we don't have her. We do not have Jane" Hotch said

"I will not stop until I have her back" Frank said hanging up.

"Frank...Frank!" Hotch said as the line went dead. Lilith looked at the team worried. They jumped in their car and drove as fast as possible to Rebecca's house.

"FBI!" Lilith called out as the team moved through the house.

"Clear" Reid said checking the kitchen.

"Clear" Lilith called out checking the bathroom. Hotch and Morgan got to the bedroom and opened the door to reveal a butchered Rebecca.

"Hotch...nothing could have stopped this" Morgan said as Hotch looked at Rebecca sadly.

"Guys... we've got a note from Frank. 7 A.M. Union Station" Lilith read walking over to the body. She hadn't been on the team when they saved Rebecca so it was a tiny bit easier for her to be near Rebecca.

"All 8 other targets on that list are safe and accounted for" Reid said sadly

"Then we've missed someone or something. Now that he's set a meeting…" Hotch started to say

"He's going to raise the stakes. Just like he did last time. He's going to make it impossible for us to not trade Jane for whoever he's got" Morgan explained before his phone rang.

"Yeah, J.J?" Morgan said putting her on loud speaker.

"I think I found Jane. The beat cops picked up a woman who was ranting and raving about needing to talk to the B.A.U. She, uh, assaulted one of the police officers. She's being processed as we speak" JJ explained

"So what have we missed?" Morgan asked

"Frank's incapable of experiencing normal feelings" Reid said

"Yeah, but he takes what normal people hold sacred" Morgan said

"Children" Lilith said

"J.J., I'm going to have Fallon call you to find out where to pick up Jane. We'll all meet back at the B.A.U. I'm going to wait for the crime scene unit" Hotch explained

"I heard you. He's going after children now" JJ said disgusted

"I also need you to look at relocations, anything involving children. Families that have moved into the D.C. area since the case" Hotch added

"I'm on it" JJ said hanging up

….


	64. Chapter 64

"This is hopeless. We don't even know Frank's surname" Garcia said as Gideon and her were still going over case files.

"But we do know the only person ever to survive abduction by Frank" Gideon stated

"Jane. He fell in love with her" Garcia said

"Oh, he was a psychopath. He's incapable of emotionally bonding with anyone. Yet he was prepared to risk everything to have her. Amongst all those he killed there has to be one constant One repetitious act, a break from pattern. One he's probably not even aware of" Gideon said

….

Lilith and Reid drove to the local cop station.

"Are you okay?" Lilith asked Reid in the car

"Gideon had told me about Sarah, he really liked her and had regretted not telling her sooner" Reid said sadly as they got out of the car. He looked over at Lilith in deep thought.

"Hey! We need to go" Lilith said breaking Reid from his thoughts. We were led through the station and to the holding cells where Jane was arguing with another female.

"Jane!" Lilith said firmly gaining her attention.

"Come in here and get this mouthy bitch out of here" The female said angrily

"Back off! Agent Fallon, FBI" Lilith said

"FBI?" The female asked shocked

"Do you remember me? From Nevada?" Lilith asked Jane

"I asked for Agent Gideon" Jane said rudely

"We know. We'll bring you to him" Lilith said

"I told you!" Jane screamed at the other females in the cell.

"Agent Gideon's right, you know. Frank, he can't feel love. He wants to, but he can't. He's coming for me; you know?" Jane said to Lilith

"He's already here" Reid said softly

…..

"Tell us something good, Reid" Morgan asked as he and Hotch got back to the office after discovering that Frank has Tracy.

"We have Jane" Reid said

"That's good news" Hotch said

"Not entirely" Reid said as they walked to where Lilith was talking to Jane.

"Did I do the right thing by coming here?" Jane asked as Lilith and she sat in a room.

"Yes, you did the right thing. Please, sit down" Lilith said calmly as JJ walked into the room.

"Is that my bag?" Jane asked as JJ gave it to her.

"Frank hasn't hurt anyone, has he? He wouldn't do that. Not while he has me" Jane said

"He doesn't have you. We do" JJ said

"He came after Agent Gideon" Jane said, sitting down as Hotch walked into the room.

"Why did you leave Frank? What...changed?" Lilith asked softly

"He did. Frank changed. He changed just like Agent Gideon said. And he was so angry with Agent Gideon because he knows Frank better than anyone else. And Frank knows that, too" Jane explained

"Frank wants agent Gideon to stop him, doesn't he?" Hotch asked

"Well, if anyone can, Agent Gideon can" Jane said

"Not without you, Jane" Hotch said

"What do you mean?" Jane asked confused

"Tell me about Frank. Where's he from?" Hotch asked Jane as she pulled out her shoes from her bag.

"Manhattan" Jane said

"Manhattan? You sure?" Hotch asked

"Yes, I'm sure! He talked about it all the time. He told me where he lived and how he grew up, everything. He wanted me to know everything" Jane said, looking at Lilith.

"Did he ever say where in Manhattan?" JJ asked

"He lived with his mother. She was German. Breitkopf. Mary Breitkopf. And Frank never knew his father" Jane explained, still looking at Lilith

"So he uses his mother's name?" Lilith asked and Jane nodded

"And she would take him every Sunday to the fair on Long Island. He talked about her constantly. And they would have dinner parties, and-and Frank would dress up, and he would be the barman, and he would serve all the guests...cocktails" Jane said

"Jane, when you were with Frank, did he ever hurt anyone else?" JJ asked but Jane ignored her and took a drag of her cigarette.

"Being on the run can be very romantic, you know" Jane said

"Did Frank try to kill anyone else?" Lilith asked

"Is it wrong?" Jane asked Lilith

"Is what wrong?" Lilith asked

"Loving Frank?" Jane asked and Lilith frowned.

"Uh, you don't choose who you fall in love with" Lilith said simply

"Maybe you thought you could change him. And you did, too, for a time" Hotch stated

"Yes" Jane agreed

"Until the desire to kill overwhelmed him. And you saw that, didn't you, Jane? You saw it in him" Hotch said

"Yes" Jane whispered

"Who did he try to kill?" Lilith asked again

"Me. But he stopped himself. We had an argument... and I screamed at him, and I said that Gideon was right and he became so angry. And I had to run here. But as long as he's trying to find me, he won't kill again" Jane said

"He has already" Hotch said

"And he's not going to stop until he gets you back" JJ added

"Oh…" Jane said sadly looking at Lilith.

"I'm sorry" Lilith whispered

….

"Considering the 3 factors of determined behaviour- bio, psycho, social... First, biology. Genetics gave him the predisposition. Add to that the second factor, psychology. Clearly a psychopath. That's the filter through which he experiences his environment. Finally, socialization life experiences. Like all of us, he's a complicated manifestation of all 3" Gideon explained to Garcia.

"So you put that all together and…" Garcia said

"Think of Frank as a living murder weapon. His genetics load the gun, his psychology aims it, the environment pulls the trigger. That's why his victims are so important. We study them. They reflect back on him" Gideon explained

"Ok. He killed mostly women. Since he used a trailer, their occupations, locations, and ages are all over the place" Garcia explained

"Plot out the ages" Gideon said

"Um, he killed 43 in their 50s, 51 in their 40s, 64 in their 30s, and 12 in their 20s" Garcia explained

"12?" Gideon asked

"Is that odd?" Garcia asked confused

"Precedent tells us the number of victims should rise as the age falls. So it's a break from pattern. Why?" Gideon asked

"He wasn't attracted to them. No, that doesn't make any sense because he doesn't feel attraction or love" Garcia rambled

"No, no, no, no. You're onto something" Gideon said

"That's great, I don't know what" Garcia admitted

"Who was the only victim he didn't kill?" Gideon asked

"Jane. She was 22 when Frank first abducted her" Garcia stated

"And through the years he kept on coming back. Kept visiting her, bringing her gifts, making sure she was ok. Mother protects her children. In Frank's case, it was vice versa" Gideon said

"He didn't kill Jane because he sees her as his mother" Garcia said suddenly before her phone rang.

"Got it. Thanks, Hotch. Mother's name is Mary Breitkopf from Manhattan" Garcia explained to Gideon.

"Wait. The diner. He was obsessed with facts. He said something about Manhattan. '1,5 million people inhabit Manhattan. Did you know that? I read about a woman whose body was found in her apartment, upper east side' That was the only thing he said that genuinely seemed to move him. He was talking about his mother" Gideon explained

"Mary Breitkopf" Garcia explained

"He said his parents named him Frank. "I'm Frank. Germanic, third century... Derived from the name of a type of spear. I wonder what aspirations... my parents had for me" German mother, probably immigrated to this country in the fifties. If he likens Jane to his mother..." Gideon explained

"Then she must have been in her late teens when she arrived in Manhattan. I've got 3 Mary Breitkopfs living in upper east side during the fifties and sixties" Garcia said typing on her computer.

"Jane said she was a lawyer" Gideon added

"No lawyers here. A 52-year-old Mary Louise Breitkopf. She died of cancer, 's assistant. Mary Breitkopf, nurse. Killed in a traffic accident. Mary Breitkopf..." Garcia read from her laptop before trailing off.

"What?" Gideon asked

"This Mary Breitkopf was arrested...63 times" Garcia explained

"What for?" Gideon asked

"Solicitation. She was a hooker" Garcia explained

"Is she deceased?" Gideon asked

"Uh, no. No death certificate. Uh, she's alive and living in Manhattan" Garcia explained

"Search for a story involving a woman found dead in her apartment- dead for over a year. Upper east side, Manhattan" Gideon said

"Zip. Nothing" Garcia said

"So it never happened. Frank's been hiding her existence from everyone. Why?" Gideon asked as Garcia's phone rang.

"Yeah?" Garcia asked

"Garcia, get me Jason. I have someone who wants to talk to him" Hotch said as the rest of the team stood around the conference room.

"It's for you" Garcia said handing the phone to Gideon.

"Yeah?" Gideon asked into the phone

"Jason?" Tracy Belle asked as Hotch transferred the call.

"Who's this?" Gideon asked

"It's Tracey Belle" She cried

"Go ahead, Tracey. It's ok" Frank said

"Please, Mr. Gideon...you saved me once. Don't you remember?" Tracy asked scared as the team listened. Lilith felt Reid move by her side. She reached out and grabbed his hand silently.

"Of course I remember you. How could I ever forget you? Tracey, everything's going to be all right" Gideon said

"Please, I'm scared. I just want my mommy. Please. Please!" Tracy cried

"Jason" Frank said into the phone

"You son of a bitch. I swear to you I will find you and I will stop you" Gideon threatened

"Jason. I chose the station because I know how much you love trains. I saw the toys in your apartment" Frank said before hanging up

"I- I can't trace that call. It wasn't long enough, and even if it was, I-I can't triangulate it um, what do you want me to do? Talk to me, please. Tell me what I can…" Garcia begged as Gideon wrote down something.

"Call Hotch. Read that to him. He'll know what to do" Gideon said giving the note to Garcia.

"What are you going to do?" Garcia asked

"End this" Gideon said firmly before leaving the room.

…..


	65. Chapter 65

"Anybody got eyes on the target?" Morgan asked as the team with SWAT, minus JJ and Reid moved through the train station.

"Nothing" Hotch said as Lilith walked over to him.

"Did Gideon say where he was going?" Lilith asked

"He'll be here" Hotch said firmly

"In what capacity?" Lilith asked

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hotch asked

"As an Agent or an executioner?" Lilith asked

"12 o'clock. Platform 11. Target. Target east side" A SWAT man said through the comms unit.

"I have eyes on the target, and I have a clear shot. Over" He added

"We're about to find out" Hotch said as they ran up to the Platform.

"Hold your fire. I repeat, hold your fire. There are civilians on the platform" Hotch said

"Let's go! Go!" Morgan called to SWAT.

"Back, all of you back off! We need you out of here!" Morgan said to the civilians.

"Frank" Hotch said

"Agent Hotchner, we haven't had the pleasure of a formal meeting" Frank said casually

"Where's Tracey Belle?" Hotch asked

"Do you have something for me?" Frank asked

"No, I don't" Hotch said

"Then you'll never see her again" Frank said simply

"Go ahead and bring her in" Hotch said to Lilith as she brought Jane onto the platform.

"Jane" Frank said

"Where's Tracey, Frank?" Hotch asked

"Did you think I wouldn't come looking for you?" Frank asked Jane

"You killed 2 innocent women" Jane said

"Without you, I am lost" Frank said

"Tracey, Frank" Lilith snapped

"Not until we're safely away" Frank said

"Stop it, Frank. I'm not coming" Jane said

"It's you and me- forever" Frank said

"I can't go with you" Jane stated

"I will never be taken by these...people. And without you, I will not stop, not ever" Frank said simply before Gideon appeared on the platform with his gun out.

"Sarah was a doctor. She was a mother of 3 boys" Gideon said, pointing his gun at Frank.

"Hello, Jason" Frank said grinning

"She worked and ran a treatment center for patients with terminal cancer" Gideon explained

"Do you know the birder's term "twitching," Jason?" Frank asked

"She dedicated her life to easing the pain of others" Gideon continued

"The pursuit of a previously located rare bird" Frank explained

"You took the lives of hundreds. All because your mother was a whore?" Gideon mocked

"Mary Louise Breitkopf, single mother, German immigrant lived on the upper east side of Manhattan. She gave birth to her only son, Frank Breitkopf, a bright but ultimately strange boy. A boy that only a mother could love. His needs were such that even the 3 jobs she worked didn't provide for this special child. A child she would not let out near the world and when she turned to the world's oldest profession and the boy witnessed every single terrible visitation" Hotch explained

"You're not a rare bird, Frank. Nothing special about you. You're common, pedestrian...boring" Gideon said

"Jane. This world, we don't fit in it. No one understands what we are" Frank said

"Jane, he sees you as his mother. Nothing more, nothing less" Gideon explained

"Have you ever been happier than when you've been with me?" Frank asked

"Never" Jane said

"Didn't we have fun?" Frank asked

"So much!" Jane said walking forward

"Come with me now. It doesn't have to end here" Frank said holding out his hand.

"Jane!" Gideon said

"I love you" Frank said

"I love you, too" Jane replied before Frank and Jane jumped in front of a train, killing them both.

…

Lilith danced around her house wearing shorts and white t-shirt, listening to music. She faintly heard the doorbell and walked over to it. She looked through the peephole to see Reid standing there, looking nervous.

"Hey Reid, what's up?" Lilith asked as she opened the door. Reid walked into the room looking determined and nervous.

"Spencer, what's wrong?" Lilith asked worried as she turned down her music.

"Okay, so after everything that's happened from me getting kidnapped, to my drug addiction, to our fight and now Gideon losing Sarah. Life is too uncertain not to take chances. When Gideon told me he regretted not telling Sarah how he felt, that hit close to home for me" Reid explained quickly as Lilith listened carefully.

"No more fear, no more holding back" Reid said to himself before looking into Lilith's eyes before pulling her close to him and kissing her softly.

…


End file.
